the evergreen, at least to me,
has always been a winter tree
yet here i sit in warmth of may
when bright young buds provide no shade
and i find comfort under thee
my old familiar evergreen
I wrote this for an evergreen tree in McMahen park in London Ontario, a few blocks from where I grew up. I hope it’s not in the path of upcoming construction work.
It was an unusually hot day in late April - 27 degrees or so, with a nice warm wind, blue skies, and hot sun. Buds on other trees were just poking through, and I wanted to go to the park but was worried I’d be stuck in the sun. I forgot that evergreen trees provide shade year round.
I was lucky to grow up near a park. I have been lucky to have a few wonderfully stable relationships in my life, and people who have supported me through many seasons. As exciting as it is to see the coming of spring each year, with rich blossoms and bees buzzing, I find it very calming to consider the less flashy and perhaps less exciting consistency of evergreens.