The Tree

I am just a tree.

The birds and squirrels divide me up And live peacefully on my branches. As I watch over all, I see the cycle of life Occur over and over again, but not with me.

I stand here, rooted and protected.

Look here, there’s an eagle. It seems as if it’s leaving–Where must it go?

Is it bound by the instructions of its superiors? Or will it go someplace where it can follow its most heartfelt dreams? I may never know As I have known nothing but here. Goodbye, my eagle.

There is life beyond the animals who call me home.

I see children grow up and leave, And, soon after, new children walk by And love to touch my pines As I stand confident and tall. Sometimes they come back But never to greet me. They simply walk on my roots That travel below the wide gravel path.

I wish I had wings like the eagle Or the innocent freedom of a child That incentivizes me to run away, start anew. But for the centuries I may reside on this Earth, I am just a tree.

Simone Batra has loved writing poems and short stories since the first grade. She enjoys turning everyday experiences into beautiful, emotional scenes through her works. When she’s not being poetically reflective, you might find her singing, running, or coding!

text by o’maria sephers art by audrey horn