This song is on the album: What’s the Point?

I’m a Leaf

It occurred to me one day that the relationship between a leaf and its (host) tree was a good metaphor for the relationship between a person and humanity. The song explains.

                         D                        D            Bm                          Bm                   

They called me bud when I was young. Born in the spring on this tree where I hung
Em                               Em7                                                     A                                  A7
I was bright green and perfect like all of my friends. It was on us that this tree depends

We were everywhere, some in high places, some below. Some were nearby. Some, I didn’t know
We danced in the wind for all to see and together, we defined our tree.

D                                  F#
We are the leaves, so proud to be
Bm                   Bm                   E                      E7
We are the essence of life you see….   or so it seemed to me

Summer arrived. Things began to change. Some friends withered. We couldn’t explain
I lost some to the wind, some to disease. Still we remained. Life was a breeze

Instrumental verse

The air got dry and the Sun got hot. We never complained. We got what we got
We worked all day cleaning the air. A duty. It was performed with no fanfare

Chorus

Fall arrived and we had matured. Cold air chilled us. Good times were deferred
We put on a show of colour as if to brag. While we noticed our energy flag 
I died before winter, sailed to the ground. Death was with us. It was all around

Every one of my friends was given up by the tree. It was then that I realized… it’s not about me
For I was just a leaf just like all the rest. None of us was special, not the point, not the best
I had my moment to bask in the sunshine and leave the tree for a life beyond mine. 

I was a leaf
Was so proud to be
I was not the essence of life
But, I had been here… simply as me