Lunchtime was a great opportunity to sit under the old Jarrah tree at the front of Applecross Primary School to celebrate trees. The tree was there before the school was built, 120 years ago, so gathering under the shade of the old tree was a perfect place for students to reflect on how we can protect, monitor and increase canopy, a major goal of Millennium Kids GreenLAB program. The young poets knew how lucky they were to have an old tree in their school grounds, and they pondered how to care for trees and to find ways to let the community know how important they area. Everyone wrote a poem, including special guest, Dr Tim Johnston, Director Treenet, who came over from Adelaide to take part in the Millennium Kids programs, supported by the City of Melville, as part of the WA Tree Festival.
After some quiet time the students shared their poems and everyone agreed that writing about their love of trees was one way to share the message that trees are important.
Here’s one by Aaliyah for you to ponder.
Fresh, crisp air
They breathe, they help us breathe
Swishing, flowing, dancing
Bird song, sweet song, sweet bird song
Green trees, leaves.
What if we had no trees?
Despair, upset, depression
But we have them
So look after them
For future generations
For our children
To keep our world’s harmony.
The poems are currently being reviewed from a series of Poetree Slam workshops run during the Festival and ten poems will be selected for a special Millennium Kids WA Tree Festival Newsletter with great prizes for the poets.
Thanks City of Melville for supporting with GreenLAB Initiative in the WA Tree Festival.
