Poem: From Tree to Sea
By Shelley Moore Thomas
Earth shows me many things.
Trees show me how to stand tall
Even when the wind tries to blow me down,
I dance with the breeze.
I do not fall.
Stones show me how to be strong.
If I am kicked around sometimes, like a rock in the road,
I just roll along.
Oceans show me how to travel far and wide.
I see all there is to see,
but I always return with a friendly wave.
The sun shows me that brightness brings warmth to others.
I smile and shone when things look dim.
Clouds show me how to rise up and float above problems.
I am so light, I cannot be weighed down.
Bees show me how to work hard and to help others.
When work is shared, the rewards are as sweet as honey.
A baby bird shows me how not to be afraid
to spread my wings and fly.
I’ll never find out how high I can soar unless I try.
Soil shows me how to support those around me.
I care for tiny seed until their roots are strong and their leaves reach for the sky.
Good things can grow from me.
Cats show me how to be curious.
I playfully explore the world around me.
I study. I ponder. I learn.
Whales show me the wonder of big things and small things.
I dream big dreams, yet I can only take small strokes, one at a time,
to make them come true.
The moon shows me that even when I change, I am still me.
Sometimes it’s round and pearly, sometimes only a sliver,
but the moon is still the moon, no matter what.
And I am always me, no matter what.
What can the whale, the stars, the flower, or the mountain show you?
from dirt to cloud, from tree to sea,
There is a wide and wonderful world out there, waiting,
Just open your eyes.
You will find it.