The many gifts of a tree

One of the poems that I learned in grade school was “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. “I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree. . . . A tree that looks at God all day and lifts her leafy arms to pray.” Joyce Kilmer was an American poet whose works celebrated the common beauty of the natural world as well as his Catholic religious faith. What are the many gifts of a tree? Through a process called photosynthesis, the leaves of a tree pull in carbon dioxide and water and use the energy of the sun to convert this into new growth.  That chemical reaction also produces oxygen – the very air that we breathe. It is estimated that one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people. Trees store carbon dioxide in their fibers and reduce the harmful warming effects that this CO2 has on our environment. This explains why one of the sources of climate change is the destruction of forests. Tropical rainforests are often called the “lungs of the planet” because they generally draw in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Of course, a tree also provides shade, which is why everyone likes to sit or park under a tree in the hot summer heat. Joyce Kilmer was killed in World War I by a sniper’s bullet while fighting on the Western Front. He was 31 years old. His poem continues: “Poems (and bulletin blogs) are made by fools like me. But only God can make a tree.” Fall is the time to plant a tree. So hug a big tree, plant a new one, and lift your arms too in a prayer of thanks.  – – – Fr. Jim