tree appreciation day

I do a lot of writing at home. The old fashioned way. Pen and paper. I have a laptop and all that, but mostly I enjoy free hand. I have a huge (fire hazard) pile of files and papers next to my chair, where I can easily just lean over and grab when I want to write something down. Pages and pages of stuff I’ve used, some I’m still to find place for. Poems, songs, lists, journals, thoughts, and quotes I’ve heard. Squiggles and doodles and little cartoon drawings. The whole shebang!

I love how when I write, my hands slide smoothly over the pages. I love watching the words appear flowing right out the pen, or little pixies sitting on mushrooms, watching big grinning cartoon faces created, almost as if I have no choice in the matter. I love the smell of old books, curling up in bed reading and sometimes, I fold paper into little butterflies.

Last night I got to thinking about how much paper we use every single day. In the office for example. Jeepers we go through reams and reams of paper. And I’m such a paper fanatic it’s quite mad. My boyfriend always teases me because I’ve always got notes or half written stories or ideas folded up in my pockets. He always says “my man en sy papiertjies” which, for my non Saffa readers means “my man and his little pieces of paper”

This in turn got me to thinking about trees. Coz like that’s where paper comes from right. Right.

It must really suck being a tree surrounded by people who like paper.

And this is what I’ve been thinking about all day.

The trees.

Today I’m having a tree appreciation day.



Have you read this poem before?



Trees

I think that I shall never see,
A poem as lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed,
Against the earths sweet flowing breast;

A tree who may in Summer wear –
A nest of robbins in her hair.

Upon whose bosom snow has lain,
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

~Joyce Kilmer~


It's one of my fave poems of all time.

I think its lovely.