Poem on Sunday: Planting the Future

Andrew Holden

A couple of years ago, Network Rail cut down all the mature trees on the railway embankment next to our house. It was horrific and everyone was outraged and saddened by this act of eco vandalism. Since then, Rachel and I have been planting trees on our side of the fence where they can’t touch them.

We’re given trees to hide the bald train bank,

by friends and strangers’ conscious of our plight.

We dug the holes the saplings there we sank

for views of future woodland screens delight.

And so, each passing year we’ll tend with care

this arboretum growing old and new.

Donations of the common and the rare

grow fast and slow the Hawthorn and the Yew.

Will random tree tops rise and break the line

that cut the vista sharp and to the bone.

To know our efforts worthwhile over time,

we hope to see before our time is done.

So those who cut the trees that stood before
will helpless watch what grows for evermore.