When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew
To a towering size with a lovely hue.
Its branches were strong and interwoven
And for Christ's cross its timbers were chosen
Being distressed at the use of this wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:
"Not ever again shall the dogwood grow
To be large enough for a tree, and so
Slender and twisted it shall always be
With cross-shaped blossoms for all to see.
The petals shall have bloodstains marked in brown
And in the blossom's center a thorny crown.
All who see it will think of me,
Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.
Protected and cherished this tree shall be
A reflection to all of my agony."
Is This Legend True?
The Bible doesn’t say what kind of wood was used for Christ’s cross and Dogwood trees aren’t native to Israel. So, this legend probably isn’t true. Dogwood trees and this legend are nice reminders of what Jesus did for us on the cross. People think the tear shaped petals are a symbol of the sadness of Jesus’ death. People think pink dogwoods are a symbol of the shame of shedding Jesus’ innocent blood.
