Redwood trees have lived on Earth for over 240 million years.
Homo sapiens, about 200 thousand.
Despite massive size,
old growth redwood
root systems are shallow.
Trees reach 350 feet tall
yet don’t topple in the strongest winds.
Each one’s roots interlace
with its neighbors’ roots,
creating a vast network of support
unseen on the surface.
They hold on for a thousand,
two thousand years, maybe more,
all the while showing us
how to grow up.
Laura Grace WeldonLaura Grace Weldon is the author of poetry collections Blackbird (Grayson Books, 2019) and
Tending (Aldrich Press, 2013), and as well as a handbook of alternative education titled Free Range Learning (Hohm Press, 2010). She was named 2019 Ohio Poet of the Year. Her background includes teaching nonviolence workshops, writing collaborative poetry with nursing home residents, and facilitating support groups for abuse survivors. She works as a book editor and teaches community writing classes. Connect with her at www.lauragraceweldon.com.
