here stood a pine tree
with broken parts,
abruptly removed
for the safety of all.
no time to say goodbye,
leaving only a headstone
of perfumed white stump
heaped with flowers of wood dust
and neighbors waving their branches
in funereal hymns of wind.
it loved to chat
with the other trees
and was a friend
to the neighborhood
it is missed
by the squirrels and the birds
and me.
rest in peace.
This poem is about a pine tree in front of my window that split at the top, so the management decided to have it cut down to be sure it wouldn't fall into the building or come crashing through someone's window. I just got up one day and it was there as usual and then I left and came back a couple of hours later to find it gone. I realize the necessity of doing it, but I wish I could have had some advance warning to get used to the idea. So I wrote this poem for it instead.