Great Tree

Timber,

that something so great would tumble so fast.
We felt the disturbance; 

it shook us inside out, like a rumble of thunder

but it wasn't thunder, there hadn't been lightening,

though the rain was falling.  Only a light nudge of wind

pushed gently on the tree and it was all over.

The darkness of the depths of ancient roots and stale pale water

that never meant to be exposed

were exposed 

in the same sharp second

when the highest branches of the widened old tree met earth.

What made the tree great was that it had grown

for more years than we could count rings,

all through the seasons and extremities of weather. 

Small creatures

made homes and ran amuck, never questioning their security

as they hid in branches once indistinguishable
 from the bottom of heaven.