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Treehuggers

By Todd-Michael St. Pierre; Illustration by Shinod AP

Todd-Michael St. Pierre writes poems, songs and plays for children. He is a storyteller at schools throughout the southern United States. Among his published works are 'Somewhere: As Told By Garrett The Parrot' and 'The Louisiana State Bird Beauty Pageant'. 'Treehuggers' is part of a collection, 'A Treehouse On The Moon', to be published soon, along with other works such as 'The Prince Of Nonsense: Silly Poems4Kids' and 'Put The People In A Zoo And Set The Animals Free: Poems4Kids To Read Out Loud'. St Pierre lives in St. Francisville, Louisiana, with his two Siamese twin cats.

Children of the fragile forest gather around
Where bird song seems to be the loudest sound
A place called Summer, green as you could please
A place where we all proudly hug the trees.

Hug trees for the walnuts and sweet apples
For the shade above small country chapels
For giving squirrel and crow a place to live
For the priceless gift of oxygen they give.

Follow your feet across a woodland floor
Beneath the tall and ancient sycamore
Under redwood, under tall blue pine
Come with me and form an endless line.

Join the boy whose name is simply ME
Take your turn and hug a mighty tree
A wish we cast upon an August breeze
A dream to cross the seven sacred seas.

Release it now, just like a big balloon...
A prayer to reach the mountains of the moon
To citizens of Earth alas we say
Go find yourself a tree to hug today!

And if a grownup says Don’t be a fool!
Or Is that what they’re teaching you in school
Just find this poem and read this simple rhyme
It’s cool to HUG a TREE from time to time!

Children this is how the world can be
Making Earth plan A and not plan B
Wear Change! Share Change! Sing Change! Bring Change
And start by hugging a tree!