Clark resident, Reese Passuth, won first place in a poetry contest for her poem “Seasons of Change.” Over 50 students county-wide participated in the contest that was open to students in grades 4-8. Winners were selected by a group of volunteer judges.
In honor of Arbor Day, students were asked to write an original poem honoring trees. “I used a tree on the side of my house as my inspiration for the poem,” explained Reese Passuth, fifth grader at the Frank K. Hehnly School. “During Hurricane Sandy, I thought that we might lose this tree and I wanted to use it as the subject of my poem as a way of saying that I am glad it’s still here.”
(above) Reese Passuth , fifth grade student at the Frank K. Hehnly School in Clark, won first place for her poem “Seasons of Change”.
Seasons of Change
By Reese Passuth
Each season as I look out my window, I see you standing
tall, taking on different personalities.
In the spring, you wake up. Full of the promise of new life.
The birds begin to plan their families in your branches
and the buds that pop out of your branches let me know
that the warmer weather is approaching.
In the summer, you are vibrant and full of life.
Your green leaves sway in the summer breeze
and you look tall and mighty in my front yard.
I sit under your shade and look up at your leaves,
as they reach into the sky.
I don’t think about the changes that you will soon make,
but instead take you for granted.
In the fall, you remind me that you are there
by silently dropping leaves in my yard.
At first a few, and then what seems like overnight,
many leaves. I look at you and see your colors changing.
First green, then scarlet red, and then a bright yellow
that reminds me of the summer sun;
the warm sun that is slowly fading away, like you.
Then the winter arrives and your leaves are gone.
You stand there with no trace of life.
Your tall branches look like they are scraping the sky.
It is amazing to think that in a few months,
you will begin the process all over again
and you will once again, be full of life.
You remind me of life that I find all around me.
The circle of life – from birth to death.
You and the other trees are around us,
breathing life into our world
and making it a better place, one leaf at a time.
