XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X          A THOUSAND YESTERDAYS AGO                         X
X                                                            X
X          GOD LOOKED DOWN, AND AWARE                        X
X                                                            X
X          A BARREN SPOT IN NEED OF SHADE                    X
X                                                            X
X          SO DROPPED AN ACORN THERE,                        X
X                                                            X
X          THE DECADES PASSED, AND THAT SMALL SEED           X
X                                                            X
X          BECAME A SPREADING TREE,                          X
X                                                            X
X          TO BRING FORWARD THAT ARID, SUN BAKED PLOT        X
X                                                            X
X          SOOTHING TRANQUILLITY.                            X
X                                                            X
X          BUT ONLY THE OTHER DAY                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X          THE CITY FATHERS CAME                             X
X                                                            X
X          THEY VIEWED THE TREE WITH HOSTILE EYES            X
X                                                            X
X          AND LOUDLY DID PROCLAIM,                          X
X                                                            X
X          THE ANCIENT OAK NO PURPOSE SERVED,                X
X                                                            X
X          THE TOWN WAS GROWING SO,                          X
X                                                            X
X          FOR PROGRESS AND EXPANSION SAKE                   X
X                                                            X
X          THE TREE WOULD HAVE TO GO.                        X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X          THEY CAME WITH GRIM MACHINES                      X
X                                                            X
X          AND SHOVED IT ROUGHLY TO THE GROUND.              X
X                                                            X
X          THEY CHOPPED, THEN TOSSED ITS EMERALD ARMS        X
X                                                            X
X          INTO A CARELESS MOUND,                            X
X                                                            X
X          THEY STOLE THE SQUIRELS HIDEAWAY                 X
X                                                            X
X          AND SPOILED THE SONG BIRDS THRONE,                X
X                                                            X
X          NOW, WHERE NOBILITY ONCE STOOD                    X
X                                                            X
X          LIES COLD, UNFRIENDLY STONE.                      X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X          TODAY THE BREEZES HURRY BY,                       X
X                                                            X
X          WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO                          X
X                                                            X
X          WITHOUT THE GENTLE, LISTENING LEAVES              X
X                                                            X
X          TO WHISPER SECRETS TO?                            X
X                                                            X
X          GOD MEANT THAT ACORN LONG AGO                     X
X                                                            X
X          COOL SHADOWS TO ENSNARE,                          X
X                                                            X
X          BUT MAN DESTROYED HIS HANDIWORK                   X
X                                                            X
X          TO PLANT A SIDEWALK THERE.                        X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
X                                                            X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

                          ODE TO AN OAK

                         AUTHOR UNKNOWN

   ORIGINATED FOR RTTY BY RALPH, K6YCS, INGLEWOOD, CA.  12-SEP-90