"My Life As A Tree"
Michael Wityk
Township of Ocean Intermediate PTA
Ocean, NJ
Read This Artist's Statement
"My Life As A Tree"
Today was different from every other day. Instead of hanging from the tree that I was born on, I woke up on the ground. After being blown by strong fall winds and carried by a hungry squirrel storing nuts for the winter, I ended up in a new place, far from were I was born. Where I am now it is cold, dark, moist and I am all alone. I can not see the sun anymore. How I wish I could go back to my loving tree that took care of me.
Today I started to grow roots that are helping me eat and drink. I also started to grow a stem that has pushed me through this dark place into the light of day. I can finally see the sun again; it is warm and bright. I have decided that one day I will grow tall enough to reach the sun.
Now I have been growing for 5 years. I have grown to be about 10 ft. tall. I have grown several thick branches, with some bright green leaves. I feel confident that I will grow to be a large tree because my roots have grown sturdy and deep. I also feel like I I'm growing a little bit every day.
Every thing is going great until this summer started, and then it became hotter and dryer than the past years. There has been little water and I can feel my roots starting to crumble. I feel like I am growing slower than usual, and my leaves are drying out. If it doesn't rain soon every tree will start to suffer in similar ways as me.
Today I looked at the sky. It was pitch black with smoke. The older trees were screaming about the sun falling into the forest. There was also a strange crackling noise in the background and all the animals were running away. I feel scared, nervous, and confused. Then for the first time in weeks it rained. Not only did it rain, it down poured to the point where the smoke vanished and the heat cooled. Every surviving tree was relieved when they saw the sun had returned to the sky. As steam rose from the forest I felt glad to have water for the first time in awhile.
Today I have been growing for 15 years. I am bigger, stronger and, taller than ever before. I'm closer to reaching the sun than I thought I would be by this time. One annoying thing is the squirrels running around my branches and picking and biting at my bark. I do enjoy the bird that is building its nest in my branches. There are going to be baby birds playing and singing on me.
Today men came and put an X on some of the trees, however not on me. What do these X's mean? Why don't they put one on me? Why?
A week later the men came back with big screaming yellow monsters. The monsters cut down all the trees with an X. Now I understand that X means death. This continued on for a week. After the tree killing stopped the men built houses where hundreds of trees died. As time went on more and more trees were killed and more and more houses were built. I'm starting to wonder if I'll get Xed.
This morning I woke up to find an X on my bark. I was marked! There going to kill me! That morning the men with monsters arrived, but also did the future home owners. The future home owner's young 5 year old son asked what my X meant. The men with the yellow monsters explained that it was marked for removal. The boy then said that he didn't want the tree to be cut down, then offered to take care of me. The mark was removed and I had a new friend.
The family celebrated the boys 10th birthday with a party. They tied several balloons on my lower branches and a stuffed animal that they hit with a stick. Several kids tried to climb to the top of me but couldn't reach the first branch.
The young kids call me "third base" when they play ball. I have also been known as "home base" when the play "tag". I even have an AKA "good hiding spot" when the younger kids play "hide and seek". I really like playing with the kids, well... except when they play darts.
I have been alive for almost 30 years. Now the boy isn't around as much anymore, I'm no longer "third base" "Good hiding spot" or "Home base". I have made friends with the younger trees that the family has planted. Even though they are not an Oak tree, there are some interesting Maples and an unusual Birch and even an Evergreen. As the boy became older he has taken pictures in front of me. Some times he would wear a baseball uniform and other times a tuxedo. The last time a picture was taken he was wearing a cap and gown. After that I saw him about 3 times a year when he would visit his parents.
Today a large grey truck pulled up to the front of the house. The family started to put all their belongings in it. Also there was a small sign that read "For Sale". Now I knew what was going on. With the boy gone they didn't need such a big house. After the truck left another truck similar to it parked in front of me. Out of it came a man and his pregnant wife. I now had the thought that the new family didn't want me as much as the other family. As I look closer at the man I saw a slight similarity to the boy that used to live at the house. Before I knew it he told his wife how he saved this old oak tree from being cut down about 25 years ago.
I'm now around 90 feet tall and 45 years old. The grass and better soil was placed around me to keep me strong and healthy. The best part of living here is the family that lives in the house. There are two boys that play ball in the front yard and I'm once again third base for the first in a long time. Every day more and more cars are always passing by, and there are more people then ever before. Now it's difficult for me to remember this whole area being a quiet forest where I first pushed though cold, dark, moist soil all alone. I may never reach the sun but I am still happy ether way.
Michael Wityk
Township of Ocean Intermediate PTA
Ocean, NJ
Read This Artist's Statement
Today was different from every other day. Instead of hanging from the tree that I was born on, I woke up on the ground. After being blown by strong fall winds and carried by a hungry squirrel storing nuts for the winter, I ended up in a new place, far from were I was born. Where I am now it is cold, dark, moist and I am all alone. I can not see the sun anymore. How I wish I could go back to my loving tree that took care of me.
Today I started to grow roots that are helping me eat and drink. I also started to grow a stem that has pushed me through this dark place into the light of day. I can finally see the sun again; it is warm and bright. I have decided that one day I will grow tall enough to reach the sun.
Now I have been growing for 5 years. I have grown to be about 10 ft. tall. I have grown several thick branches, with some bright green leaves. I feel confident that I will grow to be a large tree because my roots have grown sturdy and deep. I also feel like I I'm growing a little bit every day.
Every thing is going great until this summer started, and then it became hotter and dryer than the past years. There has been little water and I can feel my roots starting to crumble. I feel like I am growing slower than usual, and my leaves are drying out. If it doesn't rain soon every tree will start to suffer in similar ways as me.
Today I looked at the sky. It was pitch black with smoke. The older trees were screaming about the sun falling into the forest. There was also a strange crackling noise in the background and all the animals were running away. I feel scared, nervous, and confused. Then for the first time in weeks it rained. Not only did it rain, it down poured to the point where the smoke vanished and the heat cooled. Every surviving tree was relieved when they saw the sun had returned to the sky. As steam rose from the forest I felt glad to have water for the first time in awhile.
Today I have been growing for 15 years. I am bigger, stronger and, taller than ever before. I'm closer to reaching the sun than I thought I would be by this time. One annoying thing is the squirrels running around my branches and picking and biting at my bark. I do enjoy the bird that is building its nest in my branches. There are going to be baby birds playing and singing on me.
Today men came and put an X on some of the trees, however not on me. What do these X's mean? Why don't they put one on me? Why?
A week later the men came back with big screaming yellow monsters. The monsters cut down all the trees with an X. Now I understand that X means death. This continued on for a week. After the tree killing stopped the men built houses where hundreds of trees died. As time went on more and more trees were killed and more and more houses were built. I'm starting to wonder if I'll get Xed.
This morning I woke up to find an X on my bark. I was marked! There going to kill me! That morning the men with monsters arrived, but also did the future home owners. The future home owner's young 5 year old son asked what my X meant. The men with the yellow monsters explained that it was marked for removal. The boy then said that he didn't want the tree to be cut down, then offered to take care of me. The mark was removed and I had a new friend.
The family celebrated the boys 10th birthday with a party. They tied several balloons on my lower branches and a stuffed animal that they hit with a stick. Several kids tried to climb to the top of me but couldn't reach the first branch.
The young kids call me "third base" when they play ball. I have also been known as "home base" when the play "tag". I even have an AKA "good hiding spot" when the younger kids play "hide and seek". I really like playing with the kids, well... except when they play darts.
I have been alive for almost 30 years. Now the boy isn't around as much anymore, I'm no longer "third base" "Good hiding spot" or "Home base". I have made friends with the younger trees that the family has planted. Even though they are not an Oak tree, there are some interesting Maples and an unusual Birch and even an Evergreen. As the boy became older he has taken pictures in front of me. Some times he would wear a baseball uniform and other times a tuxedo. The last time a picture was taken he was wearing a cap and gown. After that I saw him about 3 times a year when he would visit his parents.
Today a large grey truck pulled up to the front of the house. The family started to put all their belongings in it. Also there was a small sign that read "For Sale". Now I knew what was going on. With the boy gone they didn't need such a big house. After the truck left another truck similar to it parked in front of me. Out of it came a man and his pregnant wife. I now had the thought that the new family didn't want me as much as the other family. As I look closer at the man I saw a slight similarity to the boy that used to live at the house. Before I knew it he told his wife how he saved this old oak tree from being cut down about 25 years ago.
I'm now around 90 feet tall and 45 years old. The grass and better soil was placed around me to keep me strong and healthy. The best part of living here is the family that lives in the house. There are two boys that play ball in the front yard and I'm once again third base for the first in a long time. Every day more and more cars are always passing by, and there are more people then ever before. Now it's difficult for me to remember this whole area being a quiet forest where I first pushed though cold, dark, moist soil all alone. I may never reach the sun but I am still happy ether way.
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