“I Am Survivor Tree” Poem
2000
Since the bombing, the Survivor Tree has continued to impact people’s lives and hearts. It stands as a powerful symbol of healing, restoration and endurance.
This poem is written in memory of Julie Marie Welch. She was 23 years old, working as a Spanish interpreter for the Social Security Administration, when she was killed in the bombing. According to survivor Richard Williams, she used to park her car under the tree every day.
The poem, titled “I Am Survivor Tree,” tells the story of the bombing from the perspective of the tree. From the moment of the attack to the aftermath, the poem tells a powerful story that ends with a message of hope—one that illustrates much of what the Survivor Tree and later the Symbolic Outdoor Memorial would come to mean: “As time makes its journey; Nature’s work is profound; To repair and to heal me; Grow grass on Sacred Ground.”
