By Helen Fiske
When Joyce Kilmer wrote that famous poem that starts, “I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree,” there were no so-called activists around; and when I wrote my simple rhyme about the ficus trees, I had no knowledge of any efforts by others to save the (downtown) trees. I was not influenced by Jerry Rubin or the Santa Monica Treesavers and I had not read any letters to the editor. My feelings were mine and mine alone — no one influenced me.
That famous poem ends, “Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.” I concur. So, Bill Bauer, not all of us “good and caring residents” are being misled by nonsense. We are capable of making up our own minds.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 31, 2007. Read the original PDF.