Every part of a tree is working to tell us a story. Once you start paying attention, it isn’t hard to see why a tree is growing in a certain direction to seek light or to discover what insects or animals left bug or bite marks in its bark.
Lately, the trees I notice the most are the ones who seem overwhelmed. Covered in invasive vines, these trees are at risk of harm and death from strangulation, lack of sunlight, and physical stress. The stories of these trees worry me so much that I’ve signed up to be a tree rescuer.
In contrast, Dianne White’s work has been a gentle antidote to my eco-anxiety — and a genuine joy! In her picture books, she beautifully focuses her attention on the lovely things in nature and in life. Her book Look and Listen, is a favorite — a delightful reminder to observe and celebrate the many wonders of the natural world.
Dianne holds an elementary bilingual teaching credential and two master’s degrees, one in Language and Literacy and the other in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. After 25 years in the classroom, Dianne now writes full time but still enjoys visiting schools to share her love of books and poetry with students and teachers.
We’re so delighted to have Dianne visit Book Life to help us find joyful stories (and poems!) in the trees around us.
TREES! by Dianne White
Ha
ve you ever noticed how the things you pass every day can become so familiar that they slip into the background and you hardly see them? It can be that way, even with trees. And yet, Tree Trekkers know that the trees in our yards, neighborhoods, towns, and cities are not only beautiful to look at, but – without trees? – we would not survive. Trees help feed and shelter, shade and cover, and even provide the oxygen our bodies need to survive.
As I write this, I’m 3,000 miles from home, vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii. From the balcony, I watch the fronds of tall coconut palms sway in the breeze. These stunning trees got me thinking about other trees I’ve seen and photographed in my travels.
In some ways, trees are as unique as we are! Each type has its own distinctive leaves, trunk, root system, and natural beauty.
Once we begin paying attention to — and learning the names of — trees, they become like good friends. Everywhere we go, we start to notice their differences, and our curiosity and appreciation of their unique gifts grows.
Here are other trees I’ve photographed in the last two years.
This photo is of a Ginkgo tree at the Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon. I love the way the light shines through the leaves, creating a spotted pattern of shade on the yellow-green moss.
I snapped this photo of a hybrid sycamore called a plane tree when we visited Rome two years ago. Its wide canopy and broad leaves are known throughout the city.
Did you also notice the beautiful camouflage-like gray on green on beige bark of its trunk? It’s like a living piece of art on the sidewalk of a busy street!
And what about these magical stone pines at the Garden of Oranges on the Aventine Hill, also in Rome? Aren’t they stunning?
As it turns out, trees can inspire stories and poems, too. The idea for one of my books, Green on Green, came one spring as I admired the different greens on the trees and bushes in my yard. The spark for Dark on Light arrived as I imagined a forest of trees illuminated by the light of a full moon. Look and Listen and Finding Grateful both began as I walked through my neighborhood using all five senses to pay attention to the natural world around me - bees and birds, but also trees!
Do YOU have a favorite tree? Why not write a poem about it?
Start by closely observing your special tree. What does it look like? Think about its colors and size. What shape are the leaves? How does the bark feel when you touch it? Does your tree have a scent? What sound does it make? What does your tree remind you of?
This chaste tree in my yard has what I call character — unique qualities that make it memorable. Its bark is bumpy. Its branches twist and turn, and the scent after a rainfall is unlike any I’ve smelled before — part sage, part earth. In springtime, its spikes of purple blossoms buzz with hundreds of small sweat bees.
Here’s a draft of a poem I wrote based on this short description. It’s called an apostrophe poem because the poet speaks directly to an object that cannot respond.
Ode to the Chaste Tree
Your bumpy bark holds
layers
of memory.
Your branches
twist and turn
while spikes of purple blooms
hum with buzzing bees.
I’m glad poems don’t have to rhyme, be fancy, or hard to understand. They only need to express something memorable or meaningful to the poet.
Will you try writing a poem, too? And when you’re finished, add a sketch, a photo, or even, a rubbing of a leaf or the bark of your tree.
Most importantly, slow down, and enjoy the marvelous gift of TREES!
Resources
Tree Art activity from Diane White
Start with a Book: Tree Trekkers
