“And The Tide Rushes In” by the Moody Blues

Blackbird sitting in a tree
Observing what’s below
Acorns falling to the ground,
He’ll stay and watch them grow

It can take up to 18 months for an acorn to even germinate, and – depending on the species – they can live for upwards of two centuries. Comparatively, the average lifespan of blackbirds is about two and a half years. So as much as the blackbird might intend to watch the acorns grow, it’s unlikely the bird will live to see more than the first year of the oak’s life – barely long enough for it to be considered a sapling.