A Dead Tree Arises Heavenward
"Trees do not preach learning and precepts. They preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life."
― Herman Hesse (German-Swiss poet and novelist,
and winner of the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature.)
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature - School on Blog
avrotor.blogspot.com
Skeleton of Agoho (Casuarina equisetifolia) of the Pine Family, QC, 2017
Half a century I lived, my master is now gone, his generation remnant
of tradition, imprimatur of the old school, the values of old, outstripped
by today's postmodern living.
My death is also the death of my friends: lichens and mosses on my
bark, ferns and lianas on my limbs, mycorrhiza and rhizobia in my
roots, and others in symbiosis with me.
My demise is also a great loss to countless dependents: insects
feeding on my leaves, bats feeding on my cones, bagworms housed in
my needle leaves, earthworms thriving on my litter.
My crown was once a huge umbrella for tired passersby, stopover
of birds in their migratory route; it buffered strong wind, and filtered
dusts and carbon in the air, cooled the surroundings.
I stood tall to reach out for the sun and through photosynthesis
converted its energy into food and other materials, while releasing
oxygen to balance the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Like my relative, the pine, I did not shed my leaves all at once unlike
the deciduous trees; instead I shed my leaves as they grew old, thus
I kept the landscape evergreen all year round.
My life was a struggle like my kin in the wild abiding with the laws
of nature; unlike them however, I lived on the whims and dictates of
the human community in which I was introduced.
I did not have a family of my own, my children were weaned early
and carried to places I never knew; nonetheless I learned to live well
in a man-made community of plants humans called park or garden.
I played with children in my shade and on my limbs, lulled them in
their cradle, the old in their hammock, the bold in their swing,
whispering, humming, creaking in nostalgic pain and laughter.
Many times I joined their celebrations, tasted their beer, held up their
flag and banner, joined in their singing, kept secrets of lovers who
marked my trunk their initials and vows leaving traces of memories.
I grew up with kids until they left home, rejoiced at their return,
welcomed and showered confetti to friends and guests, prayed for the
sick, grieved for the dead, expressed my own way of compassion.
I was pruned many times to give way to electric lines and cables,
road widening, for necessity of firewood and materials for various
crafts, or simply for aesthetic reason whatever that means.
Progress, I had my share too, but I got mostly the harmful consequences:
pollution, congestion, global warming, acid rain, ailments that
accompany the Good Life, which progressively led to my demise.
I have been standing dead for some time now and no one seemed to
care, save the termites and fungi gnawing on my skeleton, and some
black birds that sit awhile on my bare crown.
I rise up and peep into the hole in the sky beneath me, and if this is
a gate to an afterlife told by man to be so beautiful, I ask my Creator
if I too, deserve the gift of eternal life and happiness only a place
called Heaven can give. ~
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"Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.” – E. O. Wilson
“I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.” – Frank Lloyd Wright ~
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AI Overview
Meaning of “a dead tree arises heavenward”
in Dr. Abercio V. Rotor’s Poetry
In Dr. Abercio V. Rotor’s ecological and nature‑themed works, such as Living with Nature in Our Times, the tree is a central symbol of the environment — a living representation of the Earth’s ecosystems, biodiversity, and the relationship between humanity and nature.
The phrase “a dead tree arises heavenward” can be read on several interconnected levels:
1. Literal and ecological meaning
A “dead tree” is a tree that has lost its life, often due to environmental stress, pollution, deforestation, or climate change. “Arises heavenward” suggests an upward movement — either physically (such as a trunk leaning or falling toward the sky) or metaphorically, as if the tree is reaching toward the heavens. This can evoke the image of a lifeless tree still oriented toward the sun, symbolizing a nature that has been damaged but still seeks connection with the divine or the natural order..
2. Symbolic meaning in Rotor’s vision
According to Rotor’s own commentary, each poem and painting in Living with Nature is “like a leaf of a tree” revealing part of the Earth’s marvels, and each is a plea for a new vision and ethics toward the land. In this framework, a “dead tree” can represent environmental degradation, loss of life, or the collapse of ecological balance. The “arising heavenward” may then symbolize:
- Hope and resilience — even in death, the tree’s orientation toward the sky suggests a longing for renewal, healing, or spiritual connection.
- A call to action — the image may be a warning that if the Earth’s “tree” dies, it will still reach toward the heavens, but only as a sign of loss, urging humanity to restore life.
- A spiritual or moral dimension — the “heavenward” direction can imply a return to a higher, sacred relationship with nature, aligning with Rotor’s emphasis on reverence for the land.
In Rotor’s ecological poetry, such imagery often blends the natural world with moral and spiritual imperatives. The “dead tree” is both a literal ecological symbol and a metaphor for the human condition when disconnected from the Earth. The “arising heavenward” can be read as a metaphorical resurrection — not necessarily of the tree itself, but of the human spirit and the Earth’s potential for renewal if we change our relationship with it.
In short: The line likely conveys that even when nature is deadened by human actions, it still reaches toward the heavens — a reminder of its sacred connection to the divine and a plea for humanity to restore that life. It is both a lament for ecological loss and a vision of hope, consistent with Rotor’s ecological ethics and his belief that each poem is a “leaf” in the great tree of the Earth."
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