The Leaf & Life - Poem

Last week I shared the beautiful story about Rav Mattisyahu Salomon and the lesson his Rebbi taught him about a Yid always staying connected to the source of life, the Torah, just like a leaf stays connected to the tree which gives it life, colour and beauty.

I wanted to continue that this week by composing a poem about a leaf who sways joyously on a strong oak trees branch, but notices his fellow leaves fall of the tree and fly off into the wind thinking they are free, away from the clutches of the beautiful tree, but ultimately realizing that without the nutrients they receive from being connected to those branches, they really are just coming closer towards their end. This leaf, who narrates the poem (don't try this at home as leaves don't speak and as you obviously know, this is just used to bring out a message) understands that and resolves to always be connected to the tree, no matter what.

I hope you enjoy the poem. It was very interesting to write, as I don't really know what leaves think, so it was fun to guess. :)

Have a great week,

Yitzy Schweitzer

The Leaf & Life - Poem
I am but a little leaf,
Swaying on the branch of a strong oak tree,
In seasons, be the weather rain or shine,
That is where you can find me.

I have seen so many leaves,
Fall off their branch, thinking they are free,
To roam wherever the wind takes them,
But I see the event differently.

Being detached from the branch,
The leaf is on its own,
With no roots to provide water,
Upon his freedom, the door does rapidly close.

After dry, lonely days,
With nothing to help him survive,
The leaf begins to wither away,
Unfortunately, no longer alive.

You see, it is only on that beautiful tree,
That the leaf gets to flourish and bloom,
But when it falls off wanting freedom,
It faces nothing but oncoming doom.

If only those leaves knew,
The joys of being connected to the tree,
I do know it and I really love it,
It is here where I must always be.