crone maple

she is a crone, yon maple tree
her sweetness long run dry
her core laid bare, exposed,
she stands tall, deeply rooted
having weathered many a storm,
seasonal extremes, drought
and deluge, through it all she
greens, her leaves a celebration 
of resilience, audacity, of life..
a marvel, casting shade to cool
and sturdy limbs for nesters, 
a wonder, though onlookers
might surmise her useless, her
scarred exterior as evidence, they
underestimate her power and
the fire that courses through 
her veins…underestimated to 
the peril of small minds who’ve 
forgotten that their shallow roots 
mingle with hers in the hollows

~kat