Why does the tree stand?

 

Poem

An old tree grows, now weaker still,

Leaves will change, as seasons will.

Its branches break, its limbs may fall,

And yet it stands, through it all.

Why does the tree endure each day?

Scarred by axes, stripped away,

And shelters life within its shade,

A debt it feels must be repaid.

Yet those it serves may tear its bark,

Or drain its fruit, its vital spark.

They dig into its heart, its core,

And still it stands torn and sore.

The tree stands to bear the weight,

For life depends upon its fate.

Though burdened by a jagged past,

It holds ground, but may not last.

Its core grows weak, leaves descend,

The cracks that split may never mend.

Forget the scars, the bark laid bare,

It still must stand, while none care.

For lives depend on what it gives,

The tree must stand so others live.

No peaceful rest, never at ease,

The tree, not able to Rest In Peace.

The roots grow loose, dirt gives way,

Integrity consumed, and it'll decay.

The strength it held begins to fade,

Its core aches, its life betrayed.

Why does the tree still stay?

For, lives depend on it each day.

But in the end, its demise may be

The weight it bears internally.