There Go The Woods (Poetry)

These are the woods that I grew up with
and they grew up with me.
Taller, stronger, full of life
and possibility.

We stretched into a different world —
a cleaner atmosphere —
the sky, the sun, the wind and rain
held nothing we should fear.

But that was then, and this is now —
new poisons taint the air.
All flesh is grass and green the blood
when death is everywhere.

The crowding trees are thinned to one.
It trembles — stands alone
and we who dread the chainsaw’s screech
wish God would save his own.