Old Gnarled Monster

Composed 4/3/14
Description: (Day 3 of NaPoWriMo) For the tree on Chestnut St.

Old gnarled monster
Your ancient horns twist and tower
Into the graying sky
Branching, expanding into spiral crowns
Long barren evidence of your
Mighty strength

Old gnarled monster
I see your face
Two round notches in a
Wrinkly brown skin
Staring out over a land
Once conquered

Old gnarled monster
I see your heart
A dark fraying crater
On a russet
Dragon scaled chest
That’s seen no smoothing touch

Old gnarled monster
Your notched angled arms
And long winding fingers
Dusted with thriving moss like snow
Reach out up and above my head
Ever stretching

Do you wish to strangle
Your captors?
Or do you simply crave
To touch your own kind
The comfort taken from you
By the roadways of man?