Cape May Woman Spreads Love to the Community with Her Poetry Tree

When we found out about a woman in Cape May who hangs poems from a tree in her front yard and invites passers by to take any they might be inspired by, we knew we had to go see it for ourselves.

Sylvia Baer, a literature professor at Rowan University about to head into her 45th year of teaching, told us she got the idea for her 'poet-tree' because of all the chaos in the news. Baer wanted to find a way to spread a message of unity through some of her favorite poems. Baer also told us about how disenchanted she'd become by Halloween. She decided to fasten a little scroll of poetry to the candy she handed out to trick or treaters at her primary home in Wenonah. Kids and parents were so fascinated by the idea that Sylvia's house became quite the popular spot.

She eventually enlisted the help of her husband John to make a few signs to post in by a front yard tree at their summer home in Cape May and began hanging poems. Eventually, Sylvia would include some of her very own poems, like the one I was inspired to leave with called 'Me', about self-acceptance.

In today's world climate, we couldn't be more supportive of Sylvia's movement to offer something positive to the community, and hope that those who visit her beautiful and inspiring tree will pay it forward.

If you'd like to visit the 'poet-tree', head to Michigan Avenue in Cape May.

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