I wrote Sentry For A Century a long time ago, about 15 rings ago, and have always liked the story in it. I hope my writing did it justice.

 

Sentry For A Century

 

Standing where no man alive has stood before

Yet millions have walked by

It watched over the southwestern valley floor

When its branches still reached for the sky

 

The circle is the strongest shape

But over a hundred rings weren’t strong enough

To stop the oak tree’s chainsaw fate

In my clearing the overlooking bluff

 

It was the sentry for a century

Now fallen, a stump remains in front of me

Over 100 rings stare back at me

Never blink, no sappy tears for this tree

 

A feeling of wrong roots itself in me

This vantage point meant for buckeyes to see

Its point of view, none alive had ever seen

And for no reason should there have ever been

 

In an effort to make it right again

I resign to re-assign this post 

To the kindling soldier’s next of kin 

A lower branch on the family tree 

To follow in its elder’s root-steps

And leave its bark in history

 

Mainly because I realized it was right, 

But partly for selfish reason

I planted a new young guard tonight

To cover my act of tree-son 

 

Its assignment the same as its predecessor

Posted in the very same station

Would I still be around, my thoughts did harbor

To be the only one to stand there again, non-arbor