From Their Eyes

From Their Eyes


I have been here for hundreds of years
My arms reaching to the sky
Swaying lightly or fast
As the wind sees fit
Soaking in light and water and waste
Allowing you to breathe
To exist, write, eat, feel, think
I have a limited vision, for my eyes don’t turn

But the things I feel

What vibrations come up my roots!
While the tires bang carelessly upon the road
Their beat and rubber and metal and plastic
Spinning off careening into me and my sisters
My whole family
The wreckage seeps toxic smoke
The vehicles blood saturates the soil
Which we then absorb
We can’t stop
Can’t help bringing in the bad AND good

While it slowly becomes one with my landscape
Its body
Its passengers
Its soul and gears and heart
I hurt
I burn and twist
I grumble
I vomit and sag and begin to die

When they flew through my house
Much too fast
Did they know me?
Did they feel or see me?
Did they care?

When they crashed
Did they know they were going
To kill me as well?

When they died
Did they apologize?
Did they, in their last moments
Look at me
Cry
And beg for forgiveness from both God AND me?

I don’t think they did
They saw their noses
And now they see no more

I stoop
My sister attempts to catch me
But it is too late
I fall
We all fall
Eventually

And at the very end
I forgive them
I forgive God
I forget and gaze upon my wife
Still tall and beautiful and alive
I tell her I love her
Say thank you
Then good bye
And I die