“The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the Axe for the Axe was clever and convinced the Trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them.” - Turkish Proverb.

The Axe

The trees ignored his sharpened blade
reflecting in the forest's glade
for surely he was one of them
a leader bold, a fighting gem

They voted for the axe

Admiring the wooden shaft
the taunting jibes that he would craft
the artful way he flashed the steel
he justified the way they feel

They voted for the axe

Then growing deaf to those around
they never saw nor heard the sound
of bleeding bark or falling limbs
which pleased the axe's hostile whims

They voted for the axe

His simple message grew and grew
the shameless lies would get him through
and as he did, he hacked away
to thin the forest day by day

They voted for the axe

They couldn't run, nor choose to hide
Some fell in fear, some fell with pride
Wounded branches, trunks in pain
more and more, and time again

They voted for the axe

And as the sorry world looked on
it questioned how those oaks once strong
gave up on truth and lost their might
surrendered to the axe's spite

They voted for the axe
They voted for the axe