To the Passerby

In this difficult timber market, it seemed like a good time to share a beautiful, relevant poem:

To the Passerby

You who pass me by and reach out your hand towards me

before you hurt me, take a good look at me

I am the warmth of your hearth on cold winter evenings

I am the welcome shade you seek

on your walks beneath the August sun

and my fruits offer a delicious freshness

quenching your thirst along the way

I am the essential support of your home

the boards of your table

the bed upon which you lay yourself to rest

and the timber of your boat

I am the handle of your hoe

the door of your home

the wood of your cradle and of your coffin

I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty

you who pass me by, take a good look at me

and do me no harm

Found on a tree in Portugal

Dutch translation: Ch. Van Groenewoud

English translation: Maarten van de Voort