The Heart of the Tree
-Henry Cuyler Bunner
Henry Cuyler Bunner was an American novelist, journalist and poet who has written feelingly about the benefits of planting a tree.
His poem describes the innumerable benefits of trees and the shade and shelter they bring to all life. He claims that people who plant trees plan for a future, and for people they do not know.
On another level, planting a tree is a symbolic act of goodness - one from which many other acts of goodness will sprout.
Although written over a century ago, the poem is very relevant in an age where rapid and reckless development and urbanisation are taking their toll on Environment.
The Heart of the Tree
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants a friend of sun and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shafts of beauty, towering high;
He plants a home to heaven anigh;
For song and mother-croon of bird
In hushed and happy twilight heard --
The treble of heaven's harmony--
These things he plants who plants a tree.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain
He plants the forest's heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
The joy that unborn eyes shall see-
Theses things he plants who plants a tree.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
In love of home and loyalty
And far-cast thought of civic good--
His blessings on the neighborhood
Who in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all our land--
A nation's growth from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.
KAMU SEDANG MEMBACA
Treasure Trove
PuisiA collection of ICSE poems . All rights belongs to evergreen publications (india) Ltd.
