The Old Tree

Today, as part of our series featuring poems by Pedro Rodríguez Miranda, my grandfather-in-law, we turn our attention to the third poem, The Old Tree, from the book section titled Love Poems in Old Age. This poem beautifully captures the fragility of life and the grace of aging and decline. 

El Arbol Viejo

Sobre la espina dorsal del árbol viejo
cayó brutal el peso de los años.
La podredumbre de su tronco altivo
Es notable, y en su seno, yace herido.

Su ramaje, antes frondoso, se ve claro.
El vendaval de su base lo ha movido.
Sus raíces sobresalen de la tierra.
Y su sombra ya no es lo que antes era.

En sus años juveniles fue placiente, 
Y dio abrigo a los bellos pajarillos.
Hoy se ve que su fronda está marchita,
Y al viajero el viejo árbol ya no invita.

Ya no aguanta al chicuelo que lo trepa,
Y antes lo hacía con formidable fuerza.
¿Qué enfermedad padece el viejo árbol
que disminuye vil su fortaleza?

Llamemos al sabio especialista;
Al agrónomo que traiga plaguicida.
Y llegó el especialista con gran autoridad
Y proclamó huraño, esta verdad:

"Su corazón enfermo casi no palpita,
Su sistema vascular se ha corrompido,
Su savia al parecer ya no lo nutre
Con la eficacia que el árbol necesita.
Dejadlo morir con dignidad;
Que viva mientras Dios se lo permita.
Cuidadlo mientras tanto muy amorosamente,
Pues aún su presencia a amarlo incita.”
The Old Tree

On the spine of the old tree

The brutal weight of years has fallen.

The rot of its once-proud trunk

Is notable, and within, it lies wounded.

Its branches, once lush, now appear bare.

The gale has moved its base.

Its roots protrude from the earth,

And its shade is no longer what it once was.

In its youthful years, it was pleasant,

Providing shelter to beautiful little birds.

Today, its foliage appears withered,

And it no longer invites the traveler.

It can no longer bear the child who climbs it,

Though once it did so with formidable strength.

What illness afflicts the old tree,

That so vilely diminishes its strength?

Let us call the wise specialist,

The agronomist who should bring pesticide.

And the specialist arrived with great authority,

And proclaimed sullenly, this truth:

"Its sick heart barely beats,

Its vascular system has corrupted,

Its sap, it seems, no longer nourishes

With the efficiency the tree needs.

Let it die with dignity;

Let it live as long as God permits.

In the meantime, care for it lovingly,

For its presence still incites love.”

(Translated by Edward Ortiz)
Previous Poems:
1. Young Love
2. To Jelly
3. Message of Love
4. Subtle Dream
5. Honeymoon Journey
6. That is Love
7. Nostalgia
8. Sad Christmas
9. A Verse for You
10. You Arrived
11. Letter to My Wife
12. To the Colón Park of Aguadilla
13. Legend of the Flamboyant
14. Evolution of Love
15. Liza

About the Author:


Pedro Rodríguez Miranda was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, on 22 February 1930. He completed his primary and secondary education in Puerto Rico before moving to New York City to attend college when the Korean War started. He joined the Marine Corps and served four years, completing his enlistment and receiving an honorable discharge. After his service, he returned to New York City and attended college, receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, he worked for the city until 1965 when he returned to Puerto Rico. He worked as a high school teacher in Aguadilla and completed his second Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez.

46 thoughts on “The Old Tree”

  5. This is such a wise wonderful poignant poem from your grandfather in law, Edward. It’s all so wonderfully woven in metaphor but I just love the last stanza so relatable as I bounce between my mother, father and father in law. 💗💓💗

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  6. Thank you for sharing these poems, Edward. Your Grandfather-in-law was a deep and thinker and had the rare talent of putting his thoughts to paper in a way that profoundly touches the reader. The analogy to our aging process is very moving.

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    1. You’re welcome, Terry, and thank you for reading. I love his poems, and the way he used the Spanish language is magnificent. I sometimes struggle to find the right words to preserve the original meaning, but it has been a pleasure to translate his work. I’m glad you’re enjoying them.

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  7. So beautiful! This poem spoke dearly to my heart—I guess to my nature lover side. The end is superb and is worth reflecting upon: “Let it die with dignity;
/ Let it live as long as God permits. / In the meantime, care for it lovingly,
/ For its presence still incites love.” Grateful for this, my friend! Not only beautiful but also meaningful! Light and blessings to you; have a wonderful weekend*

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  8. Thank you for sharing another gem! Your grandfather-in-law’s talent is boundless. I am reading this poem in the company of a thick forest just beyond my daughter’s fence. A lovely scene and moment. 🙏🏻

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    1. It gets difficult sometimes. For this one, I spent almost two hours trying to figure out which subjunctive mood was appropriate for one of the verses. I’m definitely learning a lot by translating these poems.

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        1. When I was younger, the idea of travel in foreign lands intimidated me, since it has too frequently been my mastery of the English language alone which has had to overcome my anachronistic affect, small mental glitches associated with genius (like, oh, simple math and facial recognition ~ nothing too important).

          Now I understand that even among natives of the same city and country there can be many languages spoken, none of them too intelligible to the others, and that in all cases, domestic and foreign, the way past that language barrier is no more than genuine humility, good intentions, and a smile.

          Same in the wilds of the Nile civilizations as on a gritty American city street, right?

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          2. I have lived in three countries other than my own, and making it work certainly depended on the kindness of strangers. I also did my best to avoid cultural misunderstandings, and it made me a better listener.

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    1. Thank you, Jane. The two parts that hit me really hard were: “It can no longer bear the child who climbs it,
 Though once it did so with formidable strength.
” and “In the meantime, care for it lovingly,
 For its presence still incites love.”

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