Grandma's Tree Poem by Jim Yerman

The year was 1992, Deborah’s mother had recently passed
She was taken from us too soon...her life over much too fast.

Our family was having lunch at McDonalds talking about how death is funny that way.
It must have been synchronicity that it was also Arbor Day.

While we were discussing the end of life...all its puzzles and mysteries
McDonalds was celebrating the beginning of life by handing out pine trees.

They came in little green cups and stood about 4 inches high
“I’m going to plant mine on Grandma’s grave.” Bryan said. I was curious and asked him why.

I must admit I was quite impressed with the wisdom he displayed
“Because her grave is sitting in the sun, ” he said, “and Grandma loved the shade.”

I mentioned how that little plant won’t provide much shade and his answer gave me a thrill.
“Maybe not today, Dad, ” he said, “but one day...I know it will.”

So we took that cup to the cemetery and in a spot that Bryan found
We dug a hole and he gently placed that seedling in the ground.

Every day for one month religiously we’d take water from the sink
Head out to the cemetery and give that tree a drink.

It’s been 22 years since we planted her and that tree is no longer small
From her humble beginning in that little green cup she’s now 35 feet tall.

Last time we visited the cemetery...this memory I shall save
The sun was shining brightly but there was shade on Grandma’s grave.

A tree has no knowledge of where it will end up, of where it will one day grow
Will it bask in the southern sunshine or weather the winter snow?

Will it look out over the ocean or an island in the 7 seas?
Will it stand on top of a mountain and sway gently in the breeze?

If it’s lucky perhaps a young boy will see something none of us could see
And give it a chance to shade one grandma throughout eternity.