The Loving Tree

The Loving Tree
A tree does love with no demand
A tender perch and bountiful place
While roots run deep and squirrels do chace
To gird a limb for him to stand

O prosaic a tree does someone see?
Who breaks the rut of ominous ray
To make in summer euphoric a day
Still her love is always free

There each day and stout at night
Through drought and storm and dreadful wind,
In winter’s breath and her ornery friend,
And axes deep; she will not fight

So prosaic a tree you might be right
Not steady love or fortuitous care
Without a heart or eyes to stare
Yet is her love our ruthless plight

But that’s not the tree I want to point
Not oleander or azalea, neither fir nor pine
Not palm or barberry is in my mind
Save one Tree He did anoint

Her lifeless life remained the same
Nothing save an opened seed
Yet from this tree all life decreed
She held in place so glorious a Name

Perplexed you seem and hungry still
To know how such can be so real
A love that bleeds this tree did feel
While hate and greed this tree did kill

The Cross of Jesus is what I speak
And shall be forever my highest boast
It shows to all a love that’s most
Free for even the utterly weak

The saints and angels will ever sing
A worthy Lamb who bore this tree
Opened the scroll made shackles free
Awarding death its deleted sting

To this love we mercifully see
A luminous light and marvelous grace
The Glory of God in Jesus’ face
Hung on this tree now forever free