A letter to Mr.Tree

Video

2.50min. | Mini-DV/DVD | Pal Color, Stereo
Vienna, Austria 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

A letter to Mr. Tree

 

Dear Mr. Tree!
In celebration of your glorious and illustrious existence, extending over an almost countless number of years, I take the liberty of most humbly approaching you with a request that has been bothering me for quite some time. Why I haven’t found it possible so far to turn to you is down to inner constraints that made me doubt whether my flawed way of expressing myself would ever be able to do justice to your overwhelming achievements. While still not being sure, I do not want to remain silent any longer, as it would seem an unforgivable oversight never to have expressed my most sincere thanks to you.

Your constant willingness to provide us humans, who would in fact be nothing without you, with oxygen, and to do so free from pride or self-interest, has always filled me with the utmost respect, has always been motivation and encouragement to me. Not to speak of the sacrifices that you, your brothers and sisters, and your ancestors, have always been prepared to make with a most natural gesture, your incorruptible sense of honour and duty that at all times, without hesitation, has let you become table, paper, pencil, house. How many of your colleagues have proudly blazed away in our furnaces, sturdily fortified our dams! How rarely such dedication is to be found in our day and age. All the more it must be honoured.
As strong as my feeling of thankfulness may be, it is overshadowed by a certain wistfulness that your worth is only thoroughly recognized once your are gone, that your unswerving perseverance and your magnificent blossom often will not receive sufficient appreciation in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For this reason I would like to wish you many more unlogged days, weeks, years to come. May no vermin make your bark papery before its time and your roots wind through the soil for a long time yet. After a hopefully speedy demise, may you be granted an eternal spring in Eden and your precious timber not wasted in order to sustain the operations of hell.

Most respectfully and gratefully, I remain forever yours!

 

Roland Maurmair