The Apple Tree

A seedling small placed in the ground
Grown big and tall with all around
The gardeners worked with all their might
To keep it growing through the night
Then fruit appeared upon one day
Some thought what luck and other dismay
“What shall we do with this new fruit,
Give to the poor?” To them it suit
The other thought it ought not fair
Why should workers less be cared
For they had been there night and day
The fruit was theirs, to them be paid.
So two sides formed with different plans
They formed together like two bands
One believed the fruit for all
They thought still green the fruit should fall
The others felt the tree a gift,
They guarded it with might so swift.
The two groups argued day and night
For who was wrong and who was right.
And in that time the tree just swayed
From years of plenty and some dismayed
But all who fought agreed on one
Despite not known by anyone
The tree, the most important thing
For everyone, to life it brings
Yet fights grew bitter everyday
The arguments turned into hate
And one day boy with little years
Made choice that brought a tribe to tears
For in the night he took a knife
And slew a man from the other side
Most mourned for the bitter loss
Of not just life, but conflict cross
But some gave cheer for they were victim
Of some of that man’s strongest ism’s
The cheers caused a bitter rise
From those that felt that cheer a guise
And those that held the strongest pain
Turned to their swords, began to slay.
And as the blood covered the grass
The war waged on forever last
Until the last two men stood strong
A battle of ideals so long
Til fainted both from sunkissed skin
Bitter death, dehydration
The tree now lone looked on the field
Of bloody bodies anger yield
And many days did not much pass
Before the tree no longer last
For with no one on either side
Its life faded, it slowly died
A bitter lesson learned that day
Words so strong that many say
When turned to violence either way
They end with no one here to stay.
No one here to tend the tree,
To fight for pie or apple seeds
To give to all that stand in need
To give the gift God gave to thee.
Stand to defend your rights you must
To defend those within your trust,
But careful offense ain’t your path
To seek to win before the last
A battle that has yet to start
Should not begin with you apart.