I am an old tree
My roots stretched far with time
My grey hair crinkly
Like old leaves
as my roots expand
I grow older
I am an old tree
My hands are tentacles
These old limbs have combed a thousand hairs
And cared a million children
this trunk of mine is now withered with time
now my body is slowly chipping away
with some fallen leaves
Some branches are hanging from bending too low
I am Silverstein’s Giving Tree
I gave away my strength, my roots, my resource
now I am finished bent and dry
a drought came and stripped my leaves
then thinned my limbs to dry twigs
And all the other trees forg0t me.
I am an old tree
Twanda is a teacher painter and artist who have received awards for her work.