Of Trees And Men

Written in 2005

Hi-ooo!  Echoes through the woods
Swing, thud, crack as the axe finishes the back-cut
Squeak, crack, creak the axe is pulled
Snap, crack, crash the tree falls
It comes to rest and all that moves is the wind

A sense of pride comes over the Lumberjack
Having fell the tree perfectly
He lightly bounds upon the stump
Gazing over his work he smiles
Stepping up onto the log he continues

Thud, ting a branch fall to the ground
The tree moves, shaking at the beconing of the axe
Another limb falls to the ground
The tree bouncing at the releaving of it’s burdens
It starts to roll as the limbs that supported it are removed

Bounding to the ground the Lumberjack retires to safety
He returns, once all is still, and finishes the job
He calls out to the choke setter, that he’s finished
The setter, having choked the tree, gives a “hoot” up the hill
The horses tighten the chain and haul the log up

The Foreman blows his shiny brass whistle
Calling everyone to return to the landing
The Lumberjack energetically jogs up the hill almost at a run
Coming up to the Foreman he is handed a his pay
He smiles and returns home to his wife and four children

The life of a tree or the provision for a family?
Death for life

After a person (Or tree) dies we move on
Remembering the good times we had
If we dwell on the untimely death of such
We begin to harbor harmful thoughts
In times of tragedy do you turn to blame God?