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.