Oak Tree from TREES by Paul Armfield

The Gallant Oak, King of the Woods
The Carpenter thinks you look good
And eyes you up with mitres, nails and tacks
But I plead with the woodsman spare the axe

The boatbuilder with eyes of blue
He also has his eyes on you
For batons, beams and timbers, fore and aft
But I plead with the woodsman spare the axe

(Chorus)
Spare the axe from this tree
Though it be gnarly as can be
Though it be corseted by ivy
And leaning by degrees
If you must steal it from the sky
At least please wait until I die
And bury me with an acorn in each hand

The jay, the squirrel, the nuthatch know
The badger, wood-mouse down below
The goodness of the acorn and the mast
So I plead with the woodsman spare the axe

And the undertaker measures up
How many coffins he could cut
And what percentage he could dare to ask
Don't line his pockets woodsman, spare the axe

(Chorus)

With each hand I strived to climb it's highest branches as a child
Amidst the blossom that would soon rain down confetti on my bride
And when I needed space and somewhere safe to hide my tears
This oak is where I'd come in later years

It's stood five hundred years or more
It's seen the likes of you before
With your 4x4s, your houses and your flats
With your planning regs, permissions and your axe

And though you may well know your fruit from nut
Your sessile from pedunculate
Your arse from your elbow, still I ask
Oh woodsman won't you please lay down your axe?

• Folk
• folk
• singer-songwriter
• trees
• United Kingdom