Amazingness

Harper Road, London, SE1

Wandering by this tree stump the other day, I was surprised to hear it singing softly to itself. I listened intently, and have jotted down what I remember of the words (sing along to a tune of your choice, or of the stump’s choice):

‘At first, I was afraid, I was petrified,
Kept thinking, I could never live without the rest of me,
They’d come ‘n chopped ‘n lopped, with growling saws ‘n big strong arms,
They thought I’d die; but they’d triggered me deep inside.

And now I’m back, from deep despair.
I’ve small shoots sprouting from my solid stump, I’ve grown myself new leaves.
Was it my roots? Were they too strong? A threat to pavements all around?
If I had known for just one second, could I have grown them differently?

It took all the strength I had not to wilt away,
My limbs hacked off, left cold, bare, leafless, hungry and exposed,
No chlorophyll to make my food, my butchered soul was faltering,
I used to cry; but now I hold my leaves up high.

I didn’t know it, ’til I needed it,
I’d such reserves of strength lying dormant, hidden deep within,
A little voice, it whispered “Hey! Your epicormic buds are here,
We’ve been saving up our growing, now it’s time that you need us.

Grow on now, grow, push through your bark, just don’t give up now
‘Cause you’re not beaten anymore,
Here we are to help you, let’s reach up for the sky.”
Did they think I’d rot? Did they think I’d give up and die?

Oh, no, not I, I will survive,
I know I can regrow my leaves, photosynthesise again,
I’ve got lots more life to live, I’ve got oxygen to give,
I’ve got will to live, to hope, to love, I will survive!

Hey Hey.’