"The Woodcutter Changes His Mind" by David Budbill

[sun_set_bravely]

"The Woodcutter Changes His Mind" by David Budbill from While We've Still Got Feet. © Copper Canyon Press, 2005

When I was young, I cut the bigger, older trees for firewood, the ones

with heart rot, dead and broken branches, the crippled and deformed

ones, because, I reasoned, they were going to fall soon anyway, and

therefore, I should give the younger trees more light and room to grow.

Now I’m older and I cut the younger, strong and sturdy, solid

and beautiful trees, and I let the older ones have a few more years

of light and water and leaf in the forest they have known so long.

Soon enough they will be prostrate on the ground.