How tiny the seed that birthed

the great Sequoia,

General Sherman,

the oldest,

the largest,

living being,

dwarfing the mamouth Blue Whale,

towering above the sun-seeking-rain-forests

of the Amazon.

Did the soil cradling the seedling

know the sacrifice it was making?

Forever to bare all that ponderous weight.

Never to feel the suns warmth

within the thirty foot diameter

of Natures sky scraper.

Yet

how we,

miniscule humanity,

(the word itself a cruel pun)

hold such power

we might reduce that grandeur

to so many board-feet

with the growl of our saws

or to ash

with the flash from our match

for an evenings camp fire.

I think the Creator

holds the Redwood

close to Her heart

and rues the day

She gifted mankind

his start.