The tree outside my window

To follow up on the value of the arts for creating classroom cultures that inspire learning, the poem below, that after years of contemplation, finally fell into place with some grace this week goes a good job of illustrating, or at least introducing, several points as diverse as reading for fluency, decoding, the astronomy of seasons, the biology of photosynthesis, and and the power of language to evoke the mysterious affects of beauty on us,

THE TREE OUTSIDE MY WINDOW
The kind tree outside my window
that stands so wide and tall
brings new spring bright green leaves
and bird songs
and what I like best
is to see how
twig by twig
a pair of singing birds
build their egg-ready nest

Then as the sun rises
high and higher
hot and hotter
The kind tree outside my window
makes a cool, round pool of shade
a shifting shadow
to hide the nest,
protect the chicks,
and defeat sun's summer heat

Then, as cool fall breezes
tremble her leaves
the kind tree outside my window
reads my wishes
turning each leaf into a candle's flame
that leaves the tree without a sound
silently drifting down, down, down
to make a fiery red and gold carpet
on yesterday's shade covered ground

How does the beautiful tree
outside my window know
how to turn summer’s shade
into a bright fall glow