Deserted, severed tree trunk
Shattered by storms long ago
Splitting this giant in two
Forsaken now in its woes
Nature’s hand calling the shots
Drawing dark cards from the deck
Standing alone, slowest death
Trying to salvage this wreck
Deformed snag appears lifeless
Yet, God calls this wildlife tree
Standing proudly, still on watch
Nature’s snack bar waits for free
Living nearby, log still lives
Covered with lichens and moss
Home for God’s smallest creatures
Termites, beetles . . . march across
Jagged stump remains on guard
Below the ground, roots still thrive
Life holds on, another year
Perseverance to survive
Around the dark, scuttled tree
Racing to reach sunlight first
Young saplings growing skyward
Cycle of life, marked to burst
All of the photographs were taken at Chestnut Ridge Metro Park, which is located just outside of Canal Winchester, Ohio. I frequently walk this park during the fall, spring, and summer months with an occasional hike in the wintertime.
Originally published September, 2020.
Big Sky Buckeye 
This metro park, which is a short drive away, offers a magnificent setting to experience nature’s ever-changing landscape. I look forward to returning when the warmth of spring arrives. In the meantime, my appetite for more waits.
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Elaine, thanks for sharing these reflections. This metro park offers endless opportunities to write and photograph from.
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Amen. Vickie, thank you sharing these encouraging reflections. Our Creator cares about everything within His midst.
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Susan, thank you for reading and sharing these reflections. I’ll be waiting for early spring to return to this metro park, if not sooner. Right now, we are experiencing more winter than we have for quite awhile.
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Matt, we can only imagine how eternity will appear. Thanks for sharing your faithful voice.
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