Oaks In The Corn

Illustration by Lois Rheaume

Have you ever seen lone oaks
standing in the corn? Massive,
spreading, sprawling white oaks
that reach out as would mammoth
arms to accommodate a yawn in
the dawn of yet another day,
standing in one venerable place.

For decade upon decade those
oaks have generated oxygen
for all who breathe. They have
rendered shade to many a tired
team, resting after a forenoons
plowing. Those oaks have
accommodated a thousand squirrels
and have nested a myriad
species of birds. They have
fattened countless deer and
wild turkey on their sweet
mast.

Those poetic trees have lived
so long, if their acorns were tiny eyes what would they have
seen? If their lobed leaves
were ears what word from
Appomattox they would have
heard!

Farmers, don't cut and bulldoze
those oaks that live
in your corn. Please, work
around their girth one more
planting, one more harvest.
Stewards of the land, spare
those lovely, giant oaks that
so fatefully eluded the settler's
axe.

--Pete Rheaume