TAMARACK THE GUARDIAN
The tamarack in her late fall shades of rich gold,
Still stand tall and graceful as the sentinels of old,
Guardians of the forest with gentle strength and power,
Standing tall and firn with the green pines hour by hour.
In places they seem to hold hands along the forest edge,
Protecting their domain as if they have made a pledge
To stand steadfast against predators and winter snow,
Almost forbidding any traveller in the forest to go.
The tamarack has the softness of a larch, her mother tree,
But I feel that deep in her heart a pine she wants to be,
Soon those soft moving branches will be leafless and bare
Yet the strength of heart all winter will still be there.
Then after the struggle for life all the icy winter through,
Spring comes calling, those tendril branches awake anew,
The pale green beauty enhances her friend pine’s dark green,
Slowly other trees gain leaves such a glorious sight to be seen.
(Millicent) Ann Margetson 3 November 2005