{"sf1_id":2169319,"sf2_id":"rm8KVNWe","title":"Change Comes At The Chopping of the Tree","author":"Apolarbear17","words":518,"posted_at":"2024-08-23T17:55:23.000Z","tags":["Blossoms","Cutting Down","Death","Gardening","Growing Space","Nature","Peach tree","Poetry","Reflection","branches","changes","infection","life","pondering","seasons","time"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2169319-change-comes-at-the-chopping-of-the-tree","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/rm8KVNWe","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/dd/d5/ddd585ef-97af-4a78-90cb-d5f8161baf43","description":"This is a poem I finished the week after Earth Day last year. It has themes of nature in it and I still consider it an Earth Day poem even if I was too busy then to finish it on time. It’s a poem reflecting on the chopping of a tree so that new life can grow from the freed space. Originally posted in April 2023.","content":"Change Comes At The Chopping Of The Tree\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;By: A.X. Bueno\n\n \n\n \n\nThere was an infection that ran through this tree\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nA fungus that’s been killing it and with every year it’d creep back slowly\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nThis tree had been so fruitful once but circumstances made that history\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nBecause for a few years now it hasn’t been able to produce fruit like it once did\n\n \n\nWith anything that grows from it recently being inedible and the tree looking slightly\u0026nbsp; blistery\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nIt’s sad, remembering the summer it produced many peaches but now is just acrid\n\n \n\nThe fruit it tries to grow now that is\n\n \n\nMultiple attempts using several different ways but each one fails and misses\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nSo after months of indecision and taking care of other business it’s finally coming down The flowers just starting blooming on it too which is a shame\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nBut with it gone there’ll be more space in the now unoccupied ground\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nStill there’s the question of if this is a necessary act, one of mercy\n\n \n\nIf trees could talk would this one say to put it out of its misery\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nOr would it asked to be spared despite its inability to grow fruit and fungal condition\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nAnd then be sad that it knows no human will actually be able to listen\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nIt’s not like the tree will ever give an answer on what’s best to do\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nSo after so much procrastinating you can only do what you think is best for it and you\n\n \n\nWith saw and stepping stool you get to cutting branch after branch\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nYou do your best as you cut through not to breathe in the consequent sawdust avalanche\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nSome branches are thicker than others and some also having blossoming flowers\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nPlus a green hue of remaining life that flows through some leaving a bit of a taste sour\n\n \n\nBut the peaches that would have tried growing would have been inedible and even more Plus the branches and parts of the tree that are tougher and deader so you feel less dour\n\n \n\nIt takes a while but eventually all the big branches come down\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nTill what’s left is a bare piece of trunk in the ground\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nThat can come out another time as you arrange the branches to handle them later\n\n \n\nYou’ll use those for things like firewood and mulch so in a way it’s still helping you here\n\n \n\nFor the tree provided you with a lovely sight and fruit when it looked and was greater\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nBut of course it wasn’t immune to disease or the ravages of time that has been clear\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nIt’s loss inevitable but it provided plenty and you’ll miss it so\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nBut there’s new opportunities to plant and use it’s branches so there’s not much to woe\n\n \n\nNow there’s plenty of changes you can make to that fresh new space\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nPlanting season upon us there’s so much that can grow now in the tree’s former place\n\n \n\nBut that can come later because for now the toughest work is done\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nFinally handling that tree and the rest of the work can wait for the season’s just begun  \n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;"}