What does he plant who plants a tree?
                  He plants a friend of sun and sky;
          He plants the flag of breezes free;
      The shaft of beauty, towering high. He plants a home to heaven anigh
          For song and mother-croon of bird
          In hushed and happy twilight heard --
      The treble of heaven's harmony --
      These things he plants who plants a tree.

          What does he plant who plants a tree?
                   He plants cool shade and tender rain,
          And seed and bud of days to be,
      And years that fade and flush again;
      He plants the glory of the plain;
          He plants the forest's heritage;
          The harvest of a coming age;
      They joy that unborn eyes shall see --
      These things he plants who plants a tree.

          What does he plant who plants a tree?
                   He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
          In love of home and loyalty
      And far-cast thought of civic good --
      His blessing on the neighborhood
          Who in the hollow of His hand
          Holds all the growth of all our land --
      A nation's growth from sea to sea
      Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.

  ~ Henry Cuyler Bunner

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