The Sapling Said
The Sapling Said
The sapling said to the parent tree,
“See how you belittle me?”
“It can’t be helped,” said the parent tree.
“One day I’ll fall and you’ll do the belittling.”
Just then an axman happened along
And sat down in the parent tree’s shade.
“Don’t you think this tree good for cutting?”
The sapling whispered to the axman’s ax.
A moment later the axman glanced up.
Before long, white splinters were flying.
Before dark, the sapling heard a groan,
Then the green rustle of the parent tree falling.
The axman, weary, went home, dragging
The head of his ax through the dust.
The sapling stood in the dark, thinking,
“Now there is nothing to be belittled by,”
Only to look up and see
The overstory of the stars.