You stood tall for many years.

Arms outstretched to reveal your beautiful colors to those around you.

Changing with the seasons, sometimes you grew dark and bare,

always recovering brighter than ever before.

But, as the years went on,

aomething changed.

You became ill, 

worsening with each passing year.

Something everyone saw,

but no one could help.

You can’t cure the incurable;

you can only manage.

But you didn’t manage,

the termites took over.

Eating you from the inside out,

slowly hollowing out your body.

You were fighting a losing battle, 

tet your soul remained.

Your beauty fought to be seen,

but each feeble effort

was consumed by the darkness.

Slowly growing weaker each day

you remained strong on the outside,

until one day,

you finally crumbled.

They had won.

Your hollowed body quietly fell to the ground.

The air filled with silence                                                                                                      
As your soul slowly drifted into the distance.

The beauty we once knew

Was gone

Forever.