Fallen Giant

After a series of winter storms, and on a perfectly calm day, a huge gum tree uprooted itself and thumped across the footpath by the lake. It’s a good job nonone was underneath it at the time. I was reminded of a poem by Shirley Hughes; one I mentioned before back in 2017.

A big tree
lying down
is like a giant
with torn-out roots
instead of feet.
It’s like a ship
sailing far out to sea,
or a house with many rooms.
It has places to hide
and swing on
and climb along.
A big tree lying down
is a good place to play.
But you can never make it stand up again.
Not ever.

Fallen Giant by Shirley Hughes