Remember that poem by Joyce Kilmer about trees we had to memorize when we were in grade school? Kilmer gave it the catchy title Trees. I thought it was dumb when I was ten years old. Now that I’m approaching ‘older than dirt’, I find the poem has some deep meaning for me. It turns out that Joyce Kilmer was right!
I have traditionally been a portrait photographer, but there are two problems with that. I need to be around so people can make appointments. But I want to travel as much as I can before old age smacks me in the face so it’s hard to pin me down to a schedule. Secondly, my partner not only lives in another city, but also another country so I spend a lot of my time there. I therefore have a tough time making a commitment to a shoot. Solution for me as a photographer? Do landscapes!
Trees are our heroes
This is where the Joyce Kilmer poem comes in. And The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Both are an ode to not only the beauty of trees but of man’s relationship with them. Clearly, we are the winners of this relationship : we get much more than we give. They relieve our stress when we walk among them, provide us with shade, give shelter to wildlife, purify our air and produce oxygen. They are the silent guardians of our planet. Trees are amazing! Unfortunately, we do not reciprocate their generosity.
Humans are the villains in the relationship
We add to the demise of trees and our planet by causing climate change through our greed. The scale of deforestation and urbanization is staggering, with millions of acres of forests being cleared annually to make way for agriculture, urban development, and industrial activities. The impact of deforestation on tree populations is profound, leading to habitat loss, disruption of ecosystems, and a decline in biodiversity. Likewise, as urban areas continue to expand, the relentless march of concrete and asphalt consumes vast swaths of greenery, further exacerbating the challenges faced by trees.
My personal ode to trees: photography
A solo tree like the one in the image at the head of this blog is what usually captures my attention. Like a good face, a single tree just begs to be captured. Below, are a few images of trees that were separated from the forest so they were even more spectacular in their beauty….like a single rose.
Even dead trees can be a thing of Beauty
Check out these images of dead trees. They are still striking!
Can’t see the forest for the trees
I’m guilty as charged. I love to see the individual trees even in groupings. Is there anything more peaceful than being in the woods after a snowfall? The nubby knees grown by Cypress trees in shallow water add to their mystery. The most spectacular grouping of trees is the Aspen. It is called a stand. The roots are all connecting under the soil and form one single orgnanism. It is said to be the largest living organism on earth! Looking at stands of aspen from a distance makes this phenomenon even more spectacular.
My apologies to Joyce Kilmer . The poem I thought was dumb in fifth grade has turned out to be the inspiration for a blog piece about my nature photography decades later. Who knew? It’s also one of the few that that I still remember like the speech The Quality of Mercy in the Merchant of Venice. If you bang it out on the piano I could probably recite it for you!
“”I think I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.”
Trees really are a thing of beauty. As you view my gallery of tree images I hope you also will recognize the essential role of trees in mitigating climate change.
Thanks, Joyce Kilmer! You were right indeed!
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