KEN MEDENA (EE.UU. 1943)
The Tree Song

I saw a tree by the riverside one day as I walked along.
Straight as an arrow and pointing to the sky and growing tall and strong.
“How do you grow so straight and tall?” I said to my riverside tree.
This is the song that my tree friend sang to me.

Chorus:
I’ve got roots growing down to the water,
I’ve got leaves growing up to the sunshine,
and the fruit I bear is a sign of the life in me.
I am shade from the hot summer sundown.
I am nest for the birds of the heaven.
I’m becoming what the maker of trees has meant me to be:
A strong young tree.

I saw a tree in the wintertime, when snow lay on the ground.
Straight as an arrow and pointing to the sky and the winter winds blew all around.
“How do you grow so straight and tall? ” I said to my wintertime tree.
This is the song that my tree friend sang to me.

Chorus:
I’ve got roots growing down to the water,
.....

I saw a tree in the city streets, where buildings blocked the sun.
Green and lovely I could see it gave joy to everyone.
“How do you grow in the city streets?” I said to my downtown tree.
This is the song that my tree friend sang to me:

Chorus:
I’ve got roots growing down to the water,
......

Well now, I saw a tree by the meeting place where people gathered around
some came to sing and some came to dance and some just sat on the ground
how do you such life and shade? I said to the meeting place tree.
This is the song that my tree friend sang to me.

Chorus:
I’ve got roots growing down to the water,
......

A strong young tree.
A strong young tree.

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