At the edge of the property stood the Mighty Oak, next to the Mighty Oak stood the delicate cherry blossom tree, and next to the delicate cherry blossom tree stood the all-important house. The oak grew from a tiny acorn when the land was forested. The homeowner planted the cherry tree to celebrate moving into the house. The oak provided nuts and sheltering shade. The cherry tree provided pink-budded bursts, and its sour berries fed the birds. A problem arose in the all-important house—roots disemboweled its sewer line. The plumbing was cured, but the culprit had to be found. Whose roots caused the destruction? The homeowner investigated. The chief arborist was appointed. The cherry tree pleaded roots too delicate to penetrate a plumbing pipe. The oak claimed roots too deep. The chief arborist rendered his verdict. The sentence was death. A week later, the punishment was carried out. The homeowner sealed the all-important house windows to drown out the noise.

suffer the sinewy
his tubular toughness
cut short his life

Laura Daniels, a multi-genre writer, founded the Facebook blog The Fringe 999 https://www.facebook.com/groups/399191694738673 and @thefringe999. Curated in Visible Ink Anthology, NJ Bards Anthology, New Note Poetry, Silver Birch Press, and elsewhere. Active in Women Who Write and working on her first poetry collection. Her poems explore her life in New Jersey, where she lives with her partner in Mt Arlington.