Once many years ago I was graceful and the wind rustled through my leaves. Birds nested in my branches…

Once many years ago I was graceful and the wind rustled through my leaves. Birds nested in my branches, children used to climb me and fathers used to build tree houses on my strongest branches. Those days are over now, my journey starting one cold winter's morning.

The day had started as normal with my inhabitants flying off early to fetch food for their young. The familiar yet dreaded sound of lorries sounded in the distance, dreaded because since the start of winter they had arrived every morning to remove some of us for firewood. Against my prayers they stopped next to me and began to unload their axes. One young and clearly overworked man took the first hack at my once perfect trunk and then everyone joined in. I could feel the pain with each and every hack yet I tried to fight against it and continue standing tall even though I could feel myself slowly tilting over. I could finally take it no longer and fell down to the earth with a cra...