My Tree

The screaming sound of a chainsaw 

rips through the spring air 

I stand by the window 

and watch my tree

The tree that I grew up with 

who grew older with me 

The tree that sat in my backyard 

since the day we had moved into the house

The tree whose dead leaves we raked up in the fall 

and whose green buds we admired in the spring 

The first tree I ever climbed to the top of 

and the first tree I ever fell out of 

The tree that held my swing and me 

through summer, spring, and fall 

The tree whose roots were intwined 

with a graveyard of past pets 

The tree that housed a dove’s nest for three years straight 

and sent six little doves out into the world 

The tree my cat found his way up into 

and who I had to rescue 

The tree that gently swayed in the ocean breeze 

which sent a rustle through the leaves

The tree for squirrel meetings 

and evening owl perches 

The tree whose shade sheltered me

on those sunny sumer days 

The tree that was such a part of my life 

that I couldn’t ever imagine not having it in my yard

So as I watched it fall to the ground with a sickening thud

I knew a part of my life would be forever missing