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.