The Oak Tree

THE OAK TREE

A mighty wind
blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away,
Then snapped its boughs
and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark.
But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees
fell all around.
The weary wind
Gave up and spoke,
"How can you still be standing Oak?"
The oak tree said,
"I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two,
Carry every leaf away,
Shake my limbs, and make me sway.
But I have roots
stretched in the earth.
Growing stronger since my birth.
"You'll never touch them,
for you see,
They are the deepest part of me.
Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure.
But now I've found,
with thanks to you,
I'm stronger than I ever knew."

Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.原作, Copyright Hallmark Inc.