The aspen tree rises daintily
A paper mache model in white
Heart shaped leaves rattle
A soft murmur in the breeze
Its branches bird’s nest hold
Nature’s little hi-rise for
Its summer animal inabitants
And in autumn its precious golden nuggets
Catch fire against
Blue gentle Colorado sky
And in winter brave and strong
Against the arctic cold winds
And suffocating snow
To return in the long awaited spring
In victorious green
Aspen tree
Delightful, yet strong
All four seasons
And blessing for all of nature
Human and otherwise
***
Mark Cooney has lived in the Pikes Peak region since 1981. He has taken delight in its many life zones and ecosystems in a relatively small area, and he has painted and written poetry about them for decades. His favorite season here is autumn, and his favorite tree is the aspen. His second love is the otherworldly beauty of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. He is mostly a self-taught artist and poet. He has found art and poetry very therapeutic in a fight through mental illness. Mr. Cooney wrote “An Aspen Tree” to convey the beauty and importance of this tree year-round in Colorado.
