What Do We Plant?

What do we plant when we plant the tree?

We plant the ship which will cross the sea.

We plant the mast to carry the sails;

We plant the planks to withstand the gales —

The keel, the keelson, the beam, the knee;

We plant the ship when we plant the tree.

* * *

What do we plant when we plant the tree?

We plant the houses for you and me.

We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors;

We plant the studding, the lath, the doors,

The beams and siding, all parts that be;

We plant the house when we plant the tree.

* * *

What do we plant when we plant the tree?

A thousand things that we daily see;

We plant the spire that out-towers the crag.

We plant the staff for our country’s flag.

We plant the shade from the hot sun free;

We plant all these when we plant the tree.