Remember When
Remember when
The birds song echoed in the forest
And the leaves rustled in the wind
Remember when
The children played under my canopy
And rain tore at my limbs
When storms gave me life
Remember back when
The jays nested in my branches
The sun shined with such a glory
And the people dared each other
To climb the highest of my limbs
Remember when
The sun set with all its majesty
The glorious rays falling upon my bark
Remember when
Joy was as common as a crow
And contagious as the cold
When the child lay under my caring canopy
Dreaming peacefully and without a sound
My memories grow sparse
With each winter past
My brethren disappear
Forever a slave to humanity
But I still stand
Ancient and wise
Fading but not lost
Only I remember when
Now I am the last
Standing in a pile of ashes
Challenging the destroyers who killed my kind
Hoping for that compassion I once knew
But finding only greed
My branches are never climbed
Have grown weak and limp
My leaves dry and few
I feel life draining away
My bark my protection peels away
Life abandons me
The sun never shines but I still hold on
I cling to the memories
Memories I will die with
My grave lay in front of me
I would only have to jump to fall
As my eyes close for the last time
I see a single child
I see the joy that was
I know I will not be a slave
I will be free
I remember when