12 September 2007

Empty

A man climbs into the tree in front of my office. His spikes cut into the wood. It hurts to watch this.

Yet, the tree shows no reaction whatsoever and supports the man on his climb.

With a chain saw the man cuts the lower branches. O dear, this is going fast.

A previous truncation was drastic too. But this does not look like cutting. This is an attack.

The higher branches fall down soon after.

Just at the very top the tree now has some leaves left. Those fall last.

The tree is now reduced to just a trunk.

The chain saw man now cuts the top end of the trunk.

He descends a bit and saws again. The trunk gets lower and lower.

Still the tree proudly supports the man.

What remains is just a trunk, sticking into the air with little hope.

Without the tree the man had never been able to climb up and down. And back on the ground, a second climb up is impossible.

The trunk is now down in pieces, on top of the branches.

Later that day the concierge explains that the tree was controversial in the neighbourhood. It consumed so much of the light. Well...

Now, when I look out I see emptiness.

Yes, it is a very light emptiness. This will satisfy the neighbourhood, yet remains an awkward emptiness.

I hope the tree survives against all odds.

This tree has surprised me before with its survival.

Will it grow some fresh sprouts next year?

I hope so with all my heart. Come one tree. You can have a bit of light as far as I am concerned.

Till next nut,
Nut