Every Tree Should Get A Poem

[danny_]

i didn't read any other crits yet. it's hard for me actually to get into crit mode because i was rather carried away by this lovely work. i'll just go through and comment:

Nostalgia never felt more bittersweet when
the old red oak tree by the north river pond had snapped
in half by the storm, like his spine was made of rubber. hmm. "rubber" works, it does, but a little iffy because not sure if rubber would snap.
Driving past the fields of childhood memories,
it's like someone killed the local pastor.

Limp and bowed over, the rope swing dipped in water. love the swing image dipping in water
His branches no longer constricted high
and mighty, but drooped down to eye level.
No more fresh sap can he deliver, just sheltering an old honey hive, love this line especially the hive
that the rain could not wash over, maybe wash down? or wash off?
and children were climbing his lifeless
trunk, ripping out the only twigs left on his withered
arms, and hauling them at each other. maybe hurling them?

With empathy I pulled over to get a look at what
mother nature undertook. Giving birth to a seedling,
only to watch it come crashing down. maybe repeating that it fell too much. or just too many words saying the same thing.
Never did I question his strength
as I would swing on his dark, husky branches, jumping in greenery
to drown. took me a second but i like this. maybe releasing into greenery to drown? or somesuch, because i can see the letting go of the swing and flying into the bushes

Does he remember the sweat I soaked into his bole, when I pedaled so hard
from school, being chased by a battalion of girls using rocks as grenades.
I hid, and he hid me in his regal position nice 'regal position' !
vines wrapping around my hurt, cradling me still. aw, protective tree. nice

No longer can he change colors to match the skylines. in contrast to the warming past lines this seems even more sad
The old oak tree will be taken in by the city to be,
chopped, sawed and glued.
Maybe to be the next headline warning
to take cover,
when a storm is coming through. these last lines work but i would almost end on the saddest note possible; either the bit about not coloring the skylines or another line that continues how he can't do what he used to do, or be what he used to be.