Norbert the Norwegian Maple

It stood there since before yesterday

before last year

before we moved into this house 7 years ago

before I was born

before

         before

                     before

I don't know when our trusty Norwegian maple was planted

when its shining green shoots first appeared

when the little piece of metal was first put in

probably someone's sad attempt at collecting sap, something that doesn't work with Norbert

our trusty tree

bringing shade in the summer

greenish-brown leaf piles in the fall

snow-coated beauty in the winter

green buds that blow away with the wind in spring

branches, sticks, and twigs underfoot year round

Norbert

getting big

growing old

still standing

even after the huge storm when we first moved in

even after the other less-huge one last year

keep going, Norbert

we're cheering for you.

Calico Frost

VT

13 years old

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