An aside: I'm lucky enuff to be able to live in this little secluded area that is off the beaten path (or on the back alley, as I'm always having to tell people) of the small city I live in. In front of my wee, teeny house there are tree's everywhere and to the sides of my house, it is the same – TREES).
The tree's provide me a constant strength and are home to so many different critters. It's just wonderful!
Five years ago, I had my satellite TV subscription canceled rather than take any of them down. Of course, that was no real loss to me as I rarely watched TV but you should should see some people's faces when they find out why I canceled my service. They're so shocked …until I tell them to go stand in the middle of the glen that is my front yard. Within a few minutes, they “get it.”
Heeh

Ghosty

I have a small tree story. The park across the street where i live has some ancient trees. They have been there since before the Civil War. I call one Grandmother Tree. She is much like the poem you wrote and shared in dedication to Senator Kennedy. All kinds of people find their way to her. People come and say prayers around her both morning and evening, People come and have long soulful talks with loved ones. Dog people meet under her branches each day while they allow the pets to play. The pet people knows all the pets names but sometimes it the process of learning the human's name is slower in knowing, even though the human connections formed under Grandmother Tree are the most gentle and kind because people have entered the relationships with open naked hearts of loving their pets. There is an art institute nearby, so often young art students come to draw the many fantastic creatures that morphs from the many large goiters on Grandmother tree.

A number of years ago we had a micro-burst and many trees where destroyed. Grandmother was topped and she looked like a huge stalk of celery. . .But people continued to go to her, and the next two seasons she started to slowly venture her arms out again. At thsi time i realized Grandmother had an invasion of black ants. Being concerned for her i called the Parks and Rec. to bring her medicine for the insects. The Dept. Head was very cordial, but a few days later Grandmother had a huge red X marked on her as well as several other trees nearby, to signal their plan demise. I felt devastated for i had wanted to help her not to lead to her demise. For days the people gathered and everyone was so sad about Grandmother, she had become an altar and a sanctuary or so many.

So, somebody made the decision to take a piece of her bark to the nearby art supply shop and get a perfect paint match of Grandmother. The next morning Grandmother stood original with no red marks. In a couple of weeks the Park and Recreation Contractors came and took the other trees but Grandmother stood unnoticed. Somebody went to the garden store and got her some medicine. Every couple of years since that time one of the Park and Recreation tree inspectors will come and paint another red X on Grandmother, but somebody kept the paint, and soon Grandmother is back to herself. Grandmother is still standing and Park and Recreation right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. This had been going on for about 15 years. . . .

You've made me contemplate – uncommon for such a short piece of writing. Thank you.