I am an acorn
full of potential, in need of nourishing
with sun and soil and rain
I sprout, upward and down

I am a seedling
surrounded by siblings
sending shoots and roots
I explore, grow and expand

I am a sapling
reaching for the sun
tall, trim, flexible
I yearn for more

I am a tree
roots diving deeper and deeper
my canopy spreads
I grow in strength and stature

I am a tree
standing in a forest of fellows
unique in purpose and place
I lift nests, and climbers

I am an oak
soaring above the valley
victor over fire and flood
I breathe life to all around me
seasoned, wise
Mostly I raise acorns

This poem appears on the back cover of Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning; images taken from the front cover of Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning.