What if TREES could talk?

The Kile Oak Tree in Irvington, Indiana
(Believed to be as old as 450 years)
The Kile Oak is a bur oak, named after the Kile Family
who once owned the land where it grows.

Dear Creative Writers,

What if trees could talk? What would they say? 

Many writers have pondered this question, so let's go ahead and add ourselves to that list.

A few weeks ago I visited the Kile Oak Tree in Irvington - a neighborhood in Indianapolis. This tree is believed to be as old as 450 years. WOW! I immediately wondered what this tree has witnessed throughout its LONG life. Could it give us humans some advice?

In the Disney movie, Pocahontas, Grandmother Willow gives Pocahontas, a young Native American girl, some advice. In fact, many Native American people still believe that trees hold knowledge. Take a look at the video clip below...

When I visited the Kile Oak, I placed my hands on its trunk and was astounded that I was touching a living being that was older than our state...older than our country... older than the REAL Pocahontas. Yes, Pocahontas was a real person. She was born in 1595 and died in 1617. And the Kile Oak is believed to have sprouted from its acorn around 1565. WOW!

Speaking of acorns... Here is a photo of some acorns I picked up from beneath the Kile Oak Tree.

Could you imagine having a mom or dad that is 450 years old? That's what would happen if I planted one of these acorns.

This leads me to another question. What if acorns could talk? What would the acorns from a 450 year-old tree say?

Maybe this photo will help rev your imagination!

While these acorns do NOT come from the Kile Oak, you can still use your imagination and pretend that they do. 

Which leads us to our CREATIVE WRITING CHALLENGE! Can you tell a story through the perspective of a tree? It can be the Kile Oak or another tree from your yard or imagination.

Here are some questions to think about:

1. Did this tree witness a particular event in human history that it would like to recall?

2. Does the tree have some advice that it would like to give the human race?

3. Does the tree want something for itself? 

4. Is this tree a gateway to a different world? How does the tree take you there?

OR...

Create a world for the ACORN PEOPLE! Do they live is a town or city beneath MIGHTY OAK? What is the name of this town or city? What do the acorn people want? What are they afraid of? 

Feel free to do both challenges if you WOOD like! hehehe!

With imagination,

Professor Watermelon