Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for trees.

Trees don’t know about property lines
or sidewalks.
The neighbor’s tree
shades our driveway,
branches and roots
creep steadily,
and our trees reciprocate,
unabashedly leaning into sunlight
beyond the wire fence.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for trees that shade the evil
and the good,
trees that don’t know to avoid power lines
or, for God’s sake, to fall away from houses,
but do know to protect a bird nest
cupping tiny, fragile eggs.