Heart's Ease Examplar Workes

There is a poem that I read in a magazine in the mid 1970's.  I never forgot it and thought I'd pass it along so you can enjoy its message as well.

A Tale of Two Trees

by Alice E. Chase

Inside the forest straight and tall the biggest evergreen of all

Spread its giant branches wide and preened itself with snobbish pride

Thinking, "What a sight I'll be when I become a Christmas tree!

Dressed in tinsel all aglow with colored lights that come and go.

I'll be the season's biggest hit, there isn't any doubt of it!"

Not far away a little tree crouched in deep humility

With scrawny branches, twisted trunk, no wonder its morale was sunk

It knew it didn't stand a chance of rating one admiring glance

It thought, "The kind of shape I've got I'll never make it to the lot!

And even if I did who'd buy and ugly little tree like I?"

The woodsmen came to cut and fell the trees they thought would surely sell

Of course the evergreen so tall went crashing downward first of all

And when the job was nearly done a woodsman spied the little one

"This tree looks like it's nearly dead.  I'll finish it" was what he said

The tree came down with just one blow and laid rejected in the snow

By the strangest stroke of luck somebody tossed it on the truck

Which took it to the lot to be displayed like any other tree

At first it tried its very best to straighten up and meet the test

When all the mothers and the dads walked by with little girls and lads

But no one looked or seemed to care or even noticed it was there

Meanwhile, the giant evergreen with head held high had left the scene

Certain it was soon to grace some very grand, exciting place

The other trees went one by one till finally when day was done

Broken hearted and bereft the little tree alone was left

Feeling more and more forlorn it wondered why it had been born

Then suddenly, as if on cue, a small boy wandered into view

His jeans were tattered, his shirt was torn, his shoes were old and badly worn

He looked around and shook his head, "I guess I'm just too late," he said

And then he saw the little tree, "there IS one left," he said, "Oh, Gee!"

He paid a quarter for his prize and took it home with starry eyes

He set it up with tender care and though its scrawny limbs were bare

Of ornaments and lights and such, it really didn't matter much

Because in that poor home it found, shining faces all around

And voices raised in childish glee, saying, "What a pretty tree!"

No longer did it feel forlorn for now it knew why it was born!

And what about the tree so tall, the one that towered over all?
It really didn't fare too well, standing in a posh hotel
Because the people passing through had more important things to do
Than take the time to stop and gaze and shower it with words of praise
And once divested of its pride it slowly shriveled up and died

We'd like to think the little tree lived on and on in memory
Because it proved without a doubt what life's really all about
For if we can fulfill a need, we reach the greatest heights indeed!