For as long as I can remember we had a very old red sugar maple tree in our garden near the street. Finally, when It had become a danger it was taken down by the city. I loved that tree and memorialized it in this simple poem below. When I sent the poem to my son, in less than 30 minutes he sent me his version of the poem back.

The poem I sent to my son ,

Oh Sugar Maple

Oh sugar maple,
How I will miss
Your ruby red leaves
In the fall
And your cool deep shade
In the summer. But sadly,
Nothing is permanent.
Everything changes.
Perhaps a new tree
Will take your place.
When it does I will not be here to see it.
Hopefully,
A new person will.

The poem my son sent back to me,

Oh Terrifying Maple

Oh Terrifying Maple
How I won’t miss thee,
Your eerie barren tree limbs
In the winter
And your shedding of leaves
In the Fall.
But happily,
You won’t fall over and crush our home.
Perhaps a smaller, less massive tree
Will take your place.
When it does
Some One will be here to see it.