Once I saw an old tree
with a knot bulging in the bark,
so I tried to hack it off
with an axe,
to no avail.
The bark had been removed,
but no wood was shown,
only a tumor-like growth,
caused by a careless insect no doubt,
that realized it would not be a suitable home.
I showed my father the growth,
hoping he could save it,
cut out the bad,
so it would no longer plague the oak,
so it could be normal again.
He would not.
To do so would kill the tree.