Brookwood British Military Cemetery
Cypress Trees
Standing in formation
Like ghostly sentinels
Honouring the fallen –
Courageous soldiers
In the lonely garden of the dead.
Witnesses to warfare,
Of battles lost and won,
Of valour and endurance,
Of victory and death –
In silent admiration of the brave.
Photo: images.search.yahoo.com
©DGA 27.09.2010
Adeeyoyo's Blog 
29/09/2010 at 6:52 am
I have eight in my garden, adee, all monuments to fallen friends.
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29/09/2010 at 7:36 am
I remember when we bought 3 or 4 golden cypresses years ago in KZN someone asked why we were planting ‘graveyard trees’. I have noticed that most cemeteries do have cypresses, but they are usually (or used to be) the tall, dark green, very narrow variety. I must admit those are very solemn-looking trees.
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29/09/2010 at 8:06 am
that’s remarkable.
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29/09/2010 at 8:10 am
Thanks Ji. 🙂
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29/09/2010 at 12:19 pm
earlier this year we had to cut down a large tree that had stood for hundred s of year on the property…i wondered what stories it could tell…nice write…
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29/09/2010 at 1:20 pm
Yes it is so sad to have to cut down trees, especially really old ones. This quote is taken from Wikipedia.org:
“The oldest living Cypress is the Sarv-e-Abarkooh in Iran’s Yazd Province. Its age is estimated to be approximately 4000 years.”
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29/09/2010 at 6:04 pm
they do look like sentinels in the pic – I could almost imagine the leaders bearing down on anyone who dares to desecrate the sacred ground… 🙂
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29/09/2010 at 6:15 pm
Yes, watching over the graves… 😀
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30/09/2010 at 12:04 am
Also grew up calling them graveyard trees! Amazing poem Adee, loved it so 🙂 xxx
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30/09/2010 at 5:17 am
I wonder where it originated – using them in cemeteries? They do make a very effective screen and windbreak though. Thanks, Amanda. 😀 xxx
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