Redwood: A Student Poem

Photo by mlewallpapers.com

I am blessed to have two passions in life: sharing the outdoors with kids and teaching middle school Science. I teach at a phenomenal school where staff are encouraged to use their creativity to its fullest. The Siena School is a small private school for kids who have mild to moderate learning differences that are college bound.

April is Poetry Month. Siena celebrates the student's creativity in poetic form across grade levels and cross-curricular. Recently, I listened to one of my student's read his poem "Redwood" in front of the school community. I was struck and awed by his ability to place himself in the perspective of the redwood in which to observe the world. Many adults find it difficult to see the world through another's eyes but he does it with ease and wisdom. I am always amazed when kids can share a piece of their sole with us. As adults, we need to remember to listen.

Redwood

By Andrew, 7th Grade

Go inside a redwood

that would be my way.

I won't get trampled under foot like a sapling.

I am huge and so old.

I would be the giant of the forest.

Continents have drifted in my life span.

Mountains have formed, species have died.

While mountains rise and fall, while cities form,

I would just watch and grow, a gentle giant.

Even as fire and plumes of smoke destroy and kill,

I would stand tall. My bark too thick and my being too mighty

for the killing flames to claim.

Redwoods reach for the sun with such devotion

that we grow taller than the rest

Our canopies high and our roots deep,

we would peacefully rule the forest wherever we chose to grow.