●●●●● ●●●● ●●0 ●●● ●●●● of an artist' s palette, the tree blazed a bright crimson on its lower branches, burned with vivid yellows and oranges in its center, and simmered to deep red at its top Through these fiery colors were pale-green leaves as yet untouched by autumn Edging closer---like a pigrim approaching a shrine ---I noticed several bare branches near the top their black twigs scratching the air like claws. The leaves they had shed lay like a scarlet carpet around the trunk With its varied nations of color this tree seemed to become a globe em bracing in its broad branches all seasons and continents: the spring and summer of the Southern hemisphere in the light and dark greens, the autumn and winter of the Northern in the blazing yellows and bare branches As I marveled at this all-encompassing beauty I thought of Ralph Waldo Emerson's comments about the stars. Iftheof an artist’s palette, the tree blazed a bright crimson on its lower branches, burned with vivid yellows and oranges in its center, and simmered to deep red at its top. Through these fiery colors were pale-green leaves as yet untouched by autumn Edging closer --- like a pilgrim approaching a shrine --- I noticed several bare branches near the top, their black twigs scratching the air like claws. The leaves they had shed lay like a scarlet carpet around the trunk. With its varied nations of color this tree seemed to become a globe embracing in its broad branches all seasons and continents: the spring and summer of the Southern hemisphere in the light and dark greens, the autumn and winter of the Northern in the blazing yellows and bare branches. As I marveled at this all-encompassing beauty I thought of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s comments about the stars. If the Have You Seen the Tree?