All along the highway
a brutal massacre
agony and destruction
jagged edges claw the sky
not even the grace of a clean cut
no time to spare
for the scream of chain saws
the equal labor-to-labor
dignity of tree felling
the man-versus-nature
earth shaking victory
(the silent apologies)
we are now
machine-efficient
cost-effective
and ruthless
with stands of trees laid bare
twisted to their breaking point
ripped and torn
delimbed, stripped, shredded
sun burning shaded places
raw spaces for the taking
©2025, Jen Payne. NaPoWriMo, National Poetry Writing Month. If you like this poem, you can read similar in my books and zines, available from Three Chairs Publishing on my ETSY SHOP. They come autographed, with gratitude and a small gift.
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