Fair Haven

It is putting on its leafage now,

The tree beside my door;

It is comig back to life again,

One blessed summer more.

The winter that assailed it

And stripped it of its dress

Could not kill the spirit

Nor its hope suppress.

When summer comes and winds blow

Like beckoning of words,

You'll find this tree the haven of

The night's wayfaring birds.

And you can seek in daytime

Its shelter from the sun,

Its arms outstretched as provident

As arms of gentle nun.

This precious tree beside my door,

In yellow robe or green,

Greets every sunrise with a smile; At eventide, serene,

It knows the solitude of stars,

The watchfulness of God,

Its branches reaching heavenward,

Its roots deep in the sod.

(First published in Along the Lane: Dedicated to the memory of Thomas William Larsen, who lost his life in World War II)