The Mighty Oak Stands Tall

This mighty oak has seen it all. 
The tales reside in the bark. 
Can't tell by looking at it, 
here when America got its start.

There is history stored within. 
Yet man tried to take it away. 
Remove in the name of progress, 
it still survives today.

Born in the 1700's. 
Washington was President then. 
Betsy's flag still flew. 
Churches heard their first amen's.

Remember the Alamo they yelled.
Took place while the oak stood tall. 
Cowboys and Indians fought for the west. 
The telephone allowed us to call.

When it reached a hundred years. 
Ellis beckoned to the far away.
The Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. 
Lizzie's parents lived their last day.

Orville aboard the maiden flight. 
First automobile drove on the dirt. 
The Scofield mine imploded. 
Dalton gang was wounded and hurt.

Fidel took over Cuba. 
Rosa sat down a hero. 
Richard erased a tape. 
Even the mighty oak remembers Monroe.

The big oak sadly stood watch,
when Challenger took off from the cape. 
It remembers another bad day, 
when Columbia met the same fate.

It stands through all the strife, 
of the Clinton's, Obama's and Trump's. 
It stands proudly while soaking it in. 
Laughing at all of us chumps.

The mighty oak remains tall today, 
Vigilant over the ground it resides. 
Keeping watch over us silly humans, 
who come and go like ocean tides.

R. S. Morris