there are so many things that have gone to waste.

if there is no Man to hear the tree in the forest as it falls,
as it crashes to the soft and earthy floor
dragging down small saplings, trees-to-be
scattering small colonies of ants
smashing weak collections of petals and leaves into the dirt
uprooting the birds nestled in its branches
all in one moment,
does it make a sound?

or is it a silent collapse of life?

i wonder if the gun made a sound as it went off
i wonder if you were silent as you fell