by Pauline Howley

Wolves, witches, fairies’ outlaws
live deep in the tangled forest of our minds
together forever sweethearts carve their initials on trees
Newton inspired under an apple tree
the Magna Carta signed by the Ankerwycke Yew
King Charles II hid in the branches an oak
trees entwined in myth and history
because trees are more than wood and leaves.

Walk past a tree you might not give it a thought
but trees help us in so many ways.
In spring the blossom comes
and makes you smile
on hot days in the heatwave haze
with big arms like a hug above trees shade us from the Sun.
Walk down a street with no trees
then walk along a street with trees
you'll see what I mean
these trees are keen to be seen
so plant some green
because trees are more than wood and leaves.

Like bees we need the trees
they clean the air clear despair
they give us hope so don’t just mope
when we hear about the fate of trees
things can be restored but need to act
so, trees are measured data collected then protected
because trees more than wood and leaves.

In a dip in Hadrian’s wall a sycamore stood tall
but the Sycamore Gap tree was felled in the night
making everyone distraught
there was some sort of feud they say
that made the axe men act this way
they wait their fate at the crown court
this story going to run
songs will be sung
tales told down the years
about the felling of the sycamore in the gap
but the seeds were saved
new shoots have sprung
and they going to be planted some day
because trees are more than wood and leaves.