The Oak Tree Poem

Be encouraged by this famous poem, The Oak Tree by poet Johnny Ray Ryder Jr. The poem is an analogy to inspire you when faced with life difficulties. When we are faced with the storms of life we sometimes aren't sure we will make it through. However, we may find we bend and feel like we are not going to get through it, however, if we stand our ground and exhibit persistence and determination we will make it through.

We hope you enjoy this famous poem, The Oak Tree. It is one that makes us reflect on life and think about our roots and the roots we are giving to our children. It is a great poem to share with others that are facing challenging times in their lives. A reminder that difficult times can actually make us stronger!

Short Poems & Quotes   /   Poems Of Encouragement   /   The Oak Tree Poem


The Oak Tree
Poet: Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark

But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke,
"How can you still be standing Oak?"

The oak tree said, "I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew."


Until today, I wasn't sure Of just how much I could endure But now I've found...I'm stronger than I ever knew.
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The Oak Tree Poem Summary:

To summarize, watching a tree in a storm, seeing the wind bend the tree, swaying back and forth you would expect the tree to fall over. But when the roots of the tree are deep within the ground it allows the tree to sway back and forth with the wind - no matter how strong the wind is.

Our lives are like that - You see each storm makes us stronger to face the next one. Your attitude and beliefs can keep you grounded and help you as you face life challenges.

We hope this poem about the oak tree encourages you to be like a tree when faced with issues in life. We can endure much more than we may imagine. We just have to stay grounded and stay true to our roots. And, it goes without saying stay true to yourself, to your values! And hang in there always remembering the storms of life do pass, the winds die down, and the sunshine and blue skies do appear again. Every time you see an oak tree let it be a reminder to you!


More Poems about Oak Trees:

The Oak Tree and The Rose
Poet: Shel Silverstein

An oak tree and a rosebush grew,
Young and green together,
Talking the talk of growing things-
Wind and water and weather.
And while the rosebush sweetly bloomed
The oak tree grew so high
That now it spoke of newer things-
Eagles, mountain peaks and sky.
'I guess you think you're pretty great,'
The rose was heard to cry,
Screaming as loud as it possibly could
To the treetop in the sky.
'And now you have no time for flower talk,
Now that you've grown so tall.'
'It's not so much that I've grown,' said the tree,
'It's just that you've stayed so small.'


poems about strength
Poems About Strength


The Noble Nature
Poet: Ben Johnson

It is not growing like a tree
In bulk, doth make man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald and sear:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night, -
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures life may perfect be.


poems about life
Poems About Life


The Fall Of The Oak
Poet: George Hill

A glorious tree is the old gray oak:
He has stood for a thousand years,
Has stood and frowned
On the trees around,
Like a king among his peers;
As round their king they stand, so now,
When the flowers their pale leaves fold,
The tall trees round him stand, arrayed
In their robes of purple and gold.

He has stood like a tower
Through sun and shower,
And dared the winds to battle;
He has heard the hail,
As from plates of mail,
From his own limbs shaken, rattle;
He has tossed them about, and shorn the tops
(When the storm had roused his might)
Of the forest-trees, as a strong man doth
The heads of his foes in fight.

The autumn sun looks kindly down,
But the frost is on the lea,
And sprinkles the horn
Of the owl at morn,
As she hies to the old oak-tree.
Not a leaf is stirred;
Not a sound is heard
Bu.t the thump of the thresher's flail,
The low wind's sigh,
Or the distant cry
Of the hound on the fox's trail.

The forester he has whistling plunged
With his axe, in the deep wood's gloom,
That shrouds the hill,
Where few and chill
The sunbeams struggling come;
His brawny arm he has bared, and laid
His axe at the root of the tree,
The gray old oak,
And, with lusty stroke,
He wields it merrily -

With lusty stroke, -
And the old gray oak,
Through the folds of his gorgeous vest
You may see him shake,
And the night-owl break
From her perch in his leafy crest.
She will come but to find him gone from where
He stood at the break of day;
Like a cloud that peals as it melts to air,
He has passed, with a crash, away.

Though the spring in the bloom and the frost in gold
No more his limbs attire,
On the stormy wave
He shall float, and brave
The blast and the battle-fire!
Shall spread his white wings to the wind,
And thunder on the deep,
As he thundered when
His bough was green,
On the high and stormy steep.


Poems about Life Struggles
Poems About Life Struggles


To and Fro
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

I watched the oak tree move to and fro
The wind was making it bend so low.
But the tree was determined not to break
Its roots were strong, and the wind it did take.

Our lives can be compared to the oak tree;
Winds rush into our lives making us want to flee,
But if our roots are grounded we know it won't last
The wind will blow over and the challenges will pass.

So no matter what you're facing, stay firm
You may feel uncomfortable and squirm
But things will get better, you will see
Stay true to yourself, and better you will be.


The Old Oak Tree
Poet: Lillian E. Curtis

Ah, yes, 'tis standing firmly as ever,
Tho' twenty years have slipped away,
Since we three boys sat together.
Under its shade that Autumn day;
Three of us young and void of care.
Already yearning to win young Fame
And building castles in the air,
Each carved on the Oak his name.

I see it again! but lo, remorseless Time
Has borne changes on his wing,
Leaving of those three names, but mine,
A picture of that happy day to bring;
And of the other two you wish me tell?
'Neath the cruel sea one has his bed,
The other at distant Vicksburg fell.
And there they found him dead.

"Ah," said Ben, on that memorable day,
Just twenty years gone by,
"Across the Ocean, fleet and gay
My ships shall meet the eye."
Said Ned: "I'll be a hero in my time,"
And his cheek flushed as he spoke;
But there remaineth now but mine.
Of the names carved on the Oak.


And one last thought about the mighty oak tree, an analogy  to our lives

The Sturdy Oak
by Author Unknown

If the tall, sturdy oak, that all admire so much, could tell us its life story, we should learn the way of life.

This we know, the great oak had its beginning in a little acorn, and its fight for life was a hard one. The little acorn may be dropped in the middle of a field, where, one may think, it could be free to grow to mighty strength without molestation.

But even as a sapling, the little oak wages a battle with the grasses for its existence. And if it succeeds in growing up out of the reach of the grasses, the horse or cow may nibble it off, or trample upon it. If it is fortunate enough to survive, then come the dangers of the elements - extreme heat and drought, the storms, the lightning.

As with the oak, so with humans. Only the fit survive the struggles, and attain a ripe old age.


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Catherine Pulsifer
Catherine Pulsifer

Lillian E. Curtis
Lillian E. Curtis


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We hope the words of the famous poems and the other poems that we have shared are ones that will remind you of the oak tree during the challenging and difficult times that we all face in this journey of life. Rather than getting down about your difficulties change your attitude and see the storms in your life as opportunities to grow and learn!


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