A Lament for Trees

I love trees. But I owe every tree that was cut down and made into paper, an apology. I will be honest. I am a writer and use a lot of paper…lined paper and unlined paper, notebooks, both large and small. When I finished using every bit of paper, and every page in my notebook, then threw them away, unless I save them and use the information for other writing projects.

I have used paper for my blogs and magazine articles. I have used a lot of paper to write and rewrite my master thesis. Then I used paper to write my books...all four of them. I wrote, rewrote and edited and did it all over and over so many times that I can’t even calculate it. I scored poorly in math in school.

Now, when no one seems to be reading my work…I just lament the fact that I have been an accessory to the death of trees. Yet, I love trees. They are what I need for shade and comfort and beauty. I would never cut a tree down myself. God knows I should because the three trees in front of my house are growing huge roots above the ground and make it hard to mow the lawn. But I can’t bring myself to have them cut down.

If only I could justify that people are reading my blog entries and my books, maybe I wouldn’t feel quite so guilty that I write.  Now I lament and apologize to those beautiful majestic trees.

P. S…I am also guilty of burning wood in my fire place.

So here goes my apologetic poem:

                  Trees                                 

I love you dearly

Forgive me for aiding and abetting your death

Forgive me for being an accessory to your demise

Trees, your leaves are dear to me because they shelter me

You are home to my hammock

You truly give me pleasure -  except

In fall when your leaves grace my lawn