The loving shade

I have lived my life in shadows But they are not menacing and cold They are trees which loom over me Their roots so strong and bold. The majestic willow sways softly Her branches dancing in the breeze The sturdy oak stands mightily He dwarfs many other trees. When I was just a sapling, I thought I was so brave That I had grown all on my own I thought my branches I, alone, had made I said I did not need these trees That I had taught myself But they had always stood by me And given silent help. Their fallen leaves made soil rich Their many leaves gave shade And in the storm they offered sheltered That, I myself, could not have gave. Now, as I grow, I notice something rather strange The taller I get, the shorter I feel And the more I want to change My outside blooms but inside me, too, I feel a transformation And, as it comes, I feel it bring a crisp clarification. These trees still loom over me but now I welcome their loving shade They are still there to protect me should I ever need their aid I will never be as tall as the trees which have given me so much Their roots stretch deep and their branches high so time could not be enough They will always be by my side for forever and a day But, in time, they will start to die and wither and decay When it comes time these beautiful trees to finally depart They will live on forever and ever in the chasms of my heart