The Tree

I watched him cross the road
Oblivious to the traffic
He walked to the tree
Touching it he sighed

In his eyes
tears

I walked forward and asked
Why ?

With a slight smile
in a deep warm voice  he said

"This tree has life
Gives life
Longer than yours
And more perilous

its Arms, the branches
Broken

Its skin , the bark
scared

Its head, the canopy
Torn and shredded

Its legs and feet, the roots
covered in concrete

We call this tree
The tree of Knowledge
We call it
The tree of  life

Then why do we try to kill it
with
                     CHAINSAW
                     POISEN
                     AND KNIFE