In the Year of 1650, I was planted by a Jay. It covered me with moss and then it hopped away.
Then in Spring I started to grow under the canopy, of many enormous oak trees, much bigger than me.
It took me years to grow so tall, but I became majestic.
I spread my branches far and wide, my bark grew gnarled and thick.
Overtime, the many trees that had been all around, either fell in thunderstorms or were cut down to the ground.
Some of us were allowed to stay and that included me.
The farmer planted in-between us. I was now a hedgerow tree.
The hedge was used for nests and food, it grew thorns, fruit and blossom.
Every year it grew thicker, with scrubby grasses at the bottom.
When the farmer didn’t use his horses any more, the hedgerow just got in his way and was taken to the floor.
Proud, but alone in the field I stood, upon the open land.
Then one day came a man with a hard hat and a clipboard in his hand.
“This one’s got to go,” he said, “it’s completely in the way.”
He sprayed a big red cross on me, and then he walked away.
by Henry Colnet
This wonderful poem “Just a Tree” is kindly reproduced here with thanks to Henry Colnet (and his mum). Brothers Henry (right), Arthur (left) and Edward are ‘Colnet Conservation’. They have a regular slot in their parish newsletter, telling people about what wildlife they’ve seen, giving advice on wildlife gardening and letting people know about their litter picks etc. They do lots for nature and are trying their very best to spread the word about it’s importance. They also have a notice board at the end of the driveway with wildlife art, interesting facts and more advice, which they update regularly for passers by. They even have their own Twitter account @ColnetConserva1!
The Colnet Conservation (Crew) sound pretty awesome to me and I was thrilled when their Mum told me that the poem was inspired a little bit by my biography.