From incendiary vapors
Come tales of a caper
Where fire the destroyer
Becomes fire the creator
Clearing duff to plant the seed
Seedling from competition now freed
Bolts upwards to the celestial rays
And the painted azure display
To escape the summer flames
Source of life that also maims
Reaching for the vaulted firmament
Then basking in solar contentment
Long needles bath in sultry air
Dancing in the daily zephyr
Breezes round the branches flow
Soothing symphony to compose
Creating for all a flawless treasure
Providing transcendent pleasure
The inspiring songs from the longleaf
Offer ear and soul calming relief
By wind and the divine
Performed in the finest of the pines
In harmony with the sparrow
Creating chords warm and mellow
To comfort and inspire
As flora and fauna do admire
And we the beholders and observers
Offer gratitude with enchanted fervor
Poem by Robert Carter
Robert Carter is a college professor and naturalist from the Carolina.