not in prayer asking to be spared,
or in anger wishing she could strike.
She didn't even have an offensive or defensive stance,
for she new not to fear or fight the moment.
She stood passively still
as her life was sliced.
Before she died, her questions
permeated the air,
"Why?
How can you kill what gives you life?"
All of them perished in the same manner.
Her family, her friends - martyrs all
though they had no cause
except to be trees,
so we could breathe.
******
Sorry to post something so negative. I've been reading a lot about what's happening to our planet lately and the tree prompt became an opportunity to write about deforestation.
(Submitted to Poets United.)
Tree tragedy we all are witnesses every day. ~ Written with passion! xx
ReplyDelete"How can you kill what gives you life?" EXACTLY, Myrna. Bless you for this response to the prompt....I have written so many tree poems of this nature, I tried to write something different today so I am happy someone spoke for the trees.......the lungs of our planet. Love your title - clearcutting IS insanity.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! So die the innocent and defenseless, like the trees themselves. The sequence. Personification makes it even more poignant.
ReplyDeleteHow sad for the trees ~ As I live in the city, I appreciate every tree that is kept alive & untouched ~
ReplyDeletePowerful and necessary, Myrna. I'm glad you wrote this poem.
ReplyDeletehow can you kill what gives you life?
ReplyDeletewe have gotten pretty good at it...
and i think denial plays a bit of a part...
It is sad to think of what's happening to our forests. Conservation is mainly confined to lots of opinions of what should be done rather than doing them. The political will and emphasis is survival for the majority and greed and self interest for the powerful groups. Glad you brought it out to the open Myrna!
ReplyDeleteHank
. All the mahogany trees from the Amazon are practically extinct because of human demand for furniture. There is so much wooden furniture in perfect condition that is left out on the streets on throw out day..left to rot in the rain...We are all going to pay for this waste and stupidity and we deserve to.
ReplyDeleteoh Myrna we're on the same wavelength today...the last stanza will make every reader tearful...soulful words written with so much heart...
ReplyDeletestriking tragic and so true- trees must be protected 'they give life'
ReplyDeleteI don't read it as negative..reality and the matter of life and death is necessarily a question to explore...that is what gives us life perhaps..makes us human?
ReplyDeleteThis is such a valid statement! Deforestation is killing this planet and no one seems to see past the dollar signs.
ReplyDeleteHumans are very smart....
ReplyDeletesuch a significant question..how can you kill what gives you life..beautiful lines myrna
ReplyDeleteWhat a thoughtless evil destroyer mankind is. Sadly we always think it won't happen in my lifetime so another tree felled is no matter. What does this say of our care and nurturing of our own children?
ReplyDeleteA great activism poem. You wrote it so well.
ReplyDeleteInsanity indeed! Don't apologise for saying this; it needs to be said.
ReplyDeleteMyrna, this made me swallow hard & gulp. So very true. If this poem would be spread far and wide, perhaps people would think a bit harder before destroying a tree or, worse, a forest.
ReplyDeleteSuch a courageous soul, that tree. Reminds me of what I consider to be one of the worst children's books ever, "The Giving Tree." The exact opposite of what love should be: All take, no give. Clear-cutting is akin to rape of the forest... and rape serves no one... excellent work, Myrna! Amy
ReplyDelete