A Gum Tree is a wondrous thing,
'Tis a city of delight;
So stately and serene it stands,
A most imposing sight.

Whilst lying in its leafy shade,
Among the scented grass;
One wonders at the changes it
Has seen that came to pass.

The birds who stop to seek its shade,
Their cheerful songs to share;
The flying foxes that stop at night,
To eat the flowers there.

If you should watch the busy ants,
Their many journeys make;
It seems as if they never cease
Their busy trips to take.

Their whole lives filled with working hard,
At their appointed task;
They seek no play or pleasure,
For no holidays they ask.

Gaze too upon the patterned bark,
In white and grey and brown;
The lovely blend of colours that tone
The glaring sun's rays down.

To look upon a mighty gum,
Calmly standing there,
Makes you appreciate so much more,
Mother Nature's care.

So if you feel tense and troubled then,
As you sometimes would, like me;
Go out and find a leafy glade,
And contemplate a tree.