Just a Tree in the Park

Just a Tree in the Park

I’m just a tree inside the park,
You pass me every day,
Sometimes you stop beneath my leaves,
Then slowly walk away.

My roots have spread beneath your feet,
My branches reach up high,
And through the gaps between my leaves,
I watch the changing sky.

The children run around my trunk,
And hide where none can see,
Their little voices fill the air,
They bring such joy to me.

I’ve sheltered lovers from the rain,
And heard the words they say,
Some come back with silver hair,
Some never come my way.

A man once sat against my bark,
And cried when no one knew,
I could not put my arms round him,
Though how I wanted to.

He came again one summer’s day,
A small child held his hand,
They spread a blanket at my feet,
Beside the roots that stand.

I’ve held a nest through windy nights,
While branches creaked and swayed,
And when the morning sun came out,
The little birds had stayed.

In autumn, when my leaves turn gold,
They tumble to the ground,
And children kick them into heaps,
Then scatter them around.

The years have left their marks on me,
My bark is worn and deep,
But every spring brings something new,
Where winter lay asleep.

So if you need a quiet place,
Or somewhere for a cry,
Come sit a little while with me,
You need not tell me why.

I may not have the words you need,
But stay till it grows dark,
There’s room for you beneath my leaves,
I’m just a tree in the park.