the relevance of trees

In some places in downtown Youngstown, they are adding trees to the urban landscape. Plans to extend Mill Creek Park closer to the central business district are underway, and the university is pushing to install more life along the 5th avenue corridor. In other places downtown, they are removing trees. One alternative for the development of West Federal Street being considered calls for removal of the tree-lined meridians and the flowerbeds in the near future.

Regardless of how you feel about trees and their place in the downtown, here is an ode to some of the trees I have stumbled upon during my travels:



I am looking at trees
they may be one of the things I will miss
most from the earth
though many of the ones I have seen
already I cannot remember
and though I seldom embrace the ones I see
and have never been able to speak
with one
I listen to them tenderly
their names have never touched them
they have stood round my sleep
and when it was forbidden to climb them
they have carried me in their branches

"Trees" by W. S. Merwin from The Compass Flower



An even better experience is listening to this poem, as read by Garrison Keillor.

Well, after a full week's attempt at blogging, it has come time to take a short break. Even the Flying Spaghetti Monster rested on the seventh day. May god bless His Noodly Appendage.