Wallney Oak

To hold, as twere, the mirror up to nature To touch its bark and watch its leaves depart As if the tree has somehow lost a wager And with that loss, it somehow just lost heart A friend thought I should write an ode To this old tree on Walney Road This mighty oak that cast a shade Before the white man did invade That saw the Indians depart Back when Lord Fairfax had his start That saw the settlers clearing land Who somehow let this oak tree stand And stand, it stood 300 years It heard our laughter, heard our tears It stood there through our Civil War As Union troops went door to door It’s known that soldiers set up camps And on its branches, hung their lamps Then when this country lane was paved They placed a curve, this tree they saved A landmark for those living near This oak tree that we held so dear But lightening strikes and driving wind Have brought this oak tree to its end Then suddenly one day we found The county brought this oak tree down Where once this mighty tree did sway We’ve naught but memories today Mdailey 4/20/11