A mighty wind blue night and day.
It stole the oak tree's leaves aways.
Then snapped it's boughs and pulled it's bark.
Until the oak was tired and stark.
But still the oak tree held it's ground.
While other threes fell all around.
The wear wind gave up and spoke,
"How can you still be standing, Oak?"
The oak tree said: " I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two,
carry every leaf aways,
shake my limbs, and make me sway.
But I have roots stretched in the earth,
Growing stronger since my birth.
You'll never touch them, for you see,
They are the deepest part of me.
Until today, I wasn't sure
of just how I could endure.
But now I've found, with thanks to you.
I'm stronger than ever knew."
Johnny Ray Rayder, Jr.
