The oak tree was always there

At the entrance to the woods

Sometimes I would sit in its outstretched arms

To escape into a book

The tree was my comfort

(-)

When I didn't feel good

The rough bark always felt good

I would tell the whispering leaves

Secrets that I didn't tell my friends

Unspoken thoughts between us

(-)

The animals loved the tree too

Sometimes I would watch the squirrels

Scampering up the branches

The birds would sing to the tree

We all took it for granted

(-)

But then the workers came

And flooded the small woods

The trees crashed down one by one

My tree was the last

I hid inside my house the day they cut it down

(-)

I didn't go outside anymore

I read all my books inside

The birds all flew away

I didn't see any squirrels anymore

The outside seemed lonely

(-)

Then one day I found an acorn on the ground

And smiled at an idea I had

I planted the acorn

Right where the oak tree had been

Suddenly everything seemed brighter

(-)

A week later I saw a sprout

I poured some water on it

And it grew some more

And I took care of it

I started to go outside a lot more and felt happier

(-)

After a year it grew taller than me

I went to middle school a year after that

And then one day I saw a bird on it

And then squirrels

The tree had made friends

(-)

I'm still small enough to sit in a tree

I'm still childish enough to read books in a tree

And talking to trees still makes me happy

Especially about this one tree

Especially since I grew it myself

(-)

I made a wooden plaque

I spent a month on it

I nailed it on the new oak tree

And on it are carved the words:

In memory of the old tree everyone loved