# Change Comes At The Chopping of the Tree

Author: Apolarbear17
Tags: Blossoms, Cutting Down, Death, Gardening, Growing Space, Nature, Peach tree, Poetry, Reflection, branches, changes, infection, life, pondering, seasons, time

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.

Change Comes At The Chopping Of The Tree 

 

                                                By: A.X. Bueno

 

 

There was an infection that ran through this tree 

 

A fungus that’s been killing it and with every year it’d creep back slowly 

 

This tree had been so fruitful once but circumstances made that history 

 

Because for a few years now it hasn’t been able to produce fruit like it once did

 

With anything that grows from it recently being inedible and the tree looking slightly  blistery 

 

It’s sad, remembering the summer it produced many peaches but now is just acrid

 

The fruit it tries to grow now that is

 

Multiple attempts using several different ways but each one fails and misses 

 

So 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 

 

But with it gone there’ll be more space in the now unoccupied ground 

 

Still there’s the question of if this is a necessary act, one of mercy

 

If trees could talk would this one say to put it out of its misery 

 

Or would it asked to be spared despite its inability to grow fruit and fungal condition 

 

And then be sad that it knows no human will actually be able to listen 

 

It’s not like the tree will ever give an answer on what’s best to do 

 

So after so much procrastinating you can only do what you think is best for it and you

 

With saw and stepping stool you get to cutting branch after branch 

 

You do your best as you cut through not to breathe in the consequent sawdust avalanche 

 

Some branches are thicker than others and some also having blossoming flowers 

 

Plus a green hue of remaining life that flows through some leaving a bit of a taste sour

 

But 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

 

It takes a while but eventually all the big branches come down 

 

Till what’s left is a bare piece of trunk in the ground 

 

That can come out another time as you arrange the branches to handle them later

 

You’ll use those for things like firewood and mulch so in a way it’s still helping you here

 

For the tree provided you with a lovely sight and fruit when it looked and was greater 

 

But of course it wasn’t immune to disease or the ravages of time that has been clear 

 

It’s loss inevitable but it provided plenty and you’ll miss it so 

 

But there’s new opportunities to plant and use it’s branches so there’s not much to woe

 

Now there’s plenty of changes you can make to that fresh new space 

 

Planting season upon us there’s so much that can grow now in the tree’s former place

 

But that can come later because for now the toughest work is done 

 

Finally handling that tree and the rest of the work can wait for the season’s just begun  
      

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/rm8KVNWe