My Favorite Tree

Mio Albero

It has been in this Giardina a very long time
The seasons recorded in growth and sleep.

Planted by a man who would never
Enjoy in its full shade on a hot day.

Generations of children ran around its feet,
Birds born in its arms return home each spring.

This year I fell in love with a special tree,
My lines stroking and caressing its contours,

I was dazzled by its size, its presence, its nobility
Towering above the activity on an October afternoon.

I came back in winter, amazed at its naked structure
I drew to stay warm while it dozed in the low sun.

In spring, I returned to a familiar face in the park
Not drawing for detail but looking for essense.

When I return to Firenze, I will visit my old friend
Patiently waiting for me just like it was yesterday.

William Padgett, Oct. 2004