A Tree of smiles and Laughter

A tree of smiles and laughter,
A tree of happy places.
A tree of caring arms,
A tree of joyous faces.

An unspeakable voice with a rasp,
Booms upward from the ground.
"Go forward with your axes,"
"Cut it down, cut it down."

Golden smiles turn to frowns,
Laughter's drowned out by dark sparks.
Happy places shame their name,
As the blade strikes the bark.

Caring arms shrivel back,
Joyous faces weep with pain.
Leaves like tears, fall from branches,
Hitting the ground like jade stains.

The tree is stripped of its bark,
Limbs are roughly hacked away.
Roots are withered from thirst,
The trunk leans in dismay.

Now even though the tree is bent,
And all the happiness inside is shattered,
It still stands tall, regal and proud,
As if nothing more ever mattered.