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Peterson's Tree

from Stories by Michael C Kelly

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about

It was a great tree
In fact 'twas Peterson's tree
My childhood aerie
-- by Kevin Kelly, 2014

This coming-of-age story involves a tree, a prominent pine that stood alone in the middle of a large field in my home town of Chelmsford. We called it Peterson's tree since it appeared to be sitting on the property line of their two-acre lot. Peterson's lot, like ours and many others, was arranged seigneury-like along Brookside Avenue under Canada's Veteran Lands Act. As for the tree? Over the years we climbed it, built tree houses in it, and used it as a marker to get our bearings. I am still in awe at how it reminds me of the power of trees - in how they act as ambassadors for our environment and inspirations to our souls.

lyrics

Verse 1:
In the norite valley
By the VLA*
Lived a troop of retired soldiers
At home in a shadow's sway
For standing in the centre
Stood a bristling tree
Over looking the Whitson River,
It stands in my memory

Chorus:
Karen and I, we would fly
Swaying in that needled nest together
Something in that towering tree
Kept us thinking that we would live forever

Verse 2:
The pine was therapeutic
A tower of respite
We would play for hours and hours
In the wonder of its might
Somehow this gave us power
In creative ways
We had our dream of things to come
And the tree seemed to point the way

Verse 3:
With lofty inspiration
We'd watch a sulky race
Or view the actions at the school
Or the folks lining up to pray
In this coniferous tower
Nature did provide
A view on life, a reason why
Our own sage tree to advise

Verse 4:
Sitting in the Old Rock
Just the other day
Looking back to that emerald pine
And our old Chelmsfordian ways
It got me to wondering
How the folks made out
Guided by Peterson's tree
Were we all able to sprout?

* VLA = Veteran's Land Act

credits

from Stories, released September 1, 2015
words and music written and performed by Michael C Kelly

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Michael C Kelly Greater Sudbury, Ontario

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