POETRY

THE FAITHFUL FRUITFUL TREE

On the edges of the swamp it had grown,

this young seedling, straight and strong.

But wanting sweet fruit to bear,

instead of thorns and tares.

"If only I could be on a garden 

with other fruitful trees, 

I would be like them you see."

So one day the workers did come by

with picks and shovels in their hands.

As they dug deep into his roots 

to remove him from the swamp,

he heard one of the workers say:

"He probably won’t survive."

Dried and withered to a garden he was brought

where other trees stood very tall,

from his low point he could see

how much sweet fruit was there on those trees.

He thought of giving up,

"I could never measure up" he said.

Then he heard one of the workers say:

"It was the Master who saw him by the swamp, 

and the Master was pretty sure he could survive."

This gave that little tree new strength,

and so, in his Master's garden

this young seedling took his place.

As the years went by he found his many flaws,

some of his branches were too dry,

some were too crooked

and his roots were very short.

Then the winds of adversity blew very strong

and those dried up crooked branches

couldn't stand the mighty storms.

Then the floods of despair 

took their stand against the tree,

so that his roots had to grow fast

into the crevices of the deep.

But after every storm the tree soon learned,

he grew much bigger and much stronger

and his fruit was very great.

But every time his seed would fall

the workers did come by and took them off.

Oh but one day he finally realized 

he had become a giant in the land,

big and strong, producing seed

and providing shelter in a time of need.

One early morning the workers did come by

with axes in their hands, he heard about it before 

that some of the trees had been cut off.

"How could this be when I'm so big and very strong?"

"Yeah, this is the tree" one of the workers said,

"Bring all the young seedlings that will soon take its place."

As they brought all around him the seedlings that were young,

he recognized his seed that had sprouted straight and strong.

"Well, if I have to be cut off

I rather have my own seedlings to carry on my job."

Then one of the workers said:

"Nobody cuts a tree until the Master first arrives."

So around the big tree they sat,

waiting for the Master to show up.

"I will finally meet the one 

who brought me out of the swamp,

who gave the courage and the strength

to in his garden take a stand."

When the Master came, He was very pleased,

his tree was very strong and his fruit was very sweet.

"Yes" said the Master "Take the axe and cut the tree."

Then He gave it one last glance with glee.

"His wood is very strong." the Master said.

"I think that I will make me a precious treasure chest,

for his fruit is more than plenty and his seed is my delight,

in my palace I will make him a pillar and a sign,

that I can take things that are rotted and give them all new life."

And so it was that the seedling of the swamp,

became a Faithful Fruitful tree, a giant in the land.

And in his Master's palace a pillar and a sign,

keeping all his Master's treasures very closely to his heart.

The Faithful Fruitful Tree. By Marcos Marrero April 1997