Old Mother Tree

Forever stretching upwards,
An endless distance,
A pointless dance;

Of gnarled and tangled limbs.
Forever reaching,
Forever climbing.

Burnt and scorched soul of thee;
Tortured and abused by natures whims,

The cruelty of fire,
Hot and white;
Licking at the boughs and limbs of thy beauty.

Leaves float,
Scarred by ashes;
Slowly breaking as the wind tugs at their seams.

Scorched soul,
Your beauty marred by feverish heat,
And the anger at which it burns;
It races through your old and noble boughs.

Twisted beauty,
The ash descends and coats your limbs;
Covering your ancient knots with white.

The life you carefully sheltered leaves you,
Their guardian,
Alone and shadowed by a happy past.

Ancient and lonely mother,
With your empty nests and fractured boughs.
What havoc has been reaped upon you?
What mischief has nature played?

Dead and gone you sigh,
Life has left your tired limbs.
Sleep now mother.

As you drift seamless and alone;
From your fractured and broken soul,
Sprouts life,

Arising slowly from the ashes;
Buried at your ancient roots.

Bringing life to the dead.
Bringing green to the black.
Lighting the dark world that was created.