The Tree That Takes

This tree in that yard 

It’s got life 

 

A thick root 

Is visible on the ground

 

It’s branches

Hang low

 

It’s got hard objects

Weighing down the branches 

 

But it shines in the sunlight 

Wind makes it move 

So beautifully 

Its rhythm is unlike others. 

 

Holding those nutrients in those wretched things?!

Get ready for a mess 

And wasted cash. 

 

Going for a walk? 

Falling, hard objects say otherwise. 

 

People in fancy uniforms 

Can save you 

But not all the time 

 

It’s an elderly tree. 

Its great height 

Draws curious folk

To its apparent beauty.

 

One tried to take 

Some of those objects. 

 

Sell for profit. 

The people who partook 

Later sadly caught 

A virus. 

Some sadly died. 

More fruit appeared. 

 

Branches were cut. 

To make driving

To make walking

And to make simply living

Easier and better. 

 

But the abundance of fruit 

Made some branches lower. 

 

The tree was aggravated at the violence.

 

And more branches grew.  

They were thicker

And stronger branches. 

 

Nature came to the tree 

And the two formed a pact. 

 

The tree was angry. 

 

Continued destruction

Made it tough 

For the tree to continue 

Rejuvenating when broken. 

 

But nature agreed to carry

The tree’s legacy. 

 

During the next storm

The tree split 

It shattered 

Branches fell.

No recovery.

Its beautiful, hard red objects

Fell as well 

Right on some vehicles. 

The chaos continued. 

 

A flash…

 

Splinters.

 

And finally…

A crash. 

 

Nature looked below at the tree

And laughed a little at its demise. 

 

“What a rotten fool this tree was.”