Ruler of the World

The man said none could withstand his hand.

"With axes and hatchets and chisels and fire,

Nothing in nature interferes with my plan.

I'll settle North, West, or wherever I desire.

With the strength of my back and my wits so keen,

I have dominion of the land and all of her beasts.

I proudly proclaim the land knows her king,

But as every day passes I grow old and weak.

One day I will die; this is the way it must be.

My days are numbered and short.  I've passed my prime and my peak.

I'm the ruler of the world and so I take what I need,

Yet I feel insignificant when I view this oak tree."

The oak tree said he would be long here after.

"Unless with his axe he turns me to lumber.

The man can migrate with his legs and his feet,

But I have roots so this is where I'll be.

I wish I could ask him where he'd be without me,

For he loves to sit under the shade of my leaves.

I give rest to man and homes to beasts,

I give nests to the birds and to all I give peace.

With his days much shorter and my days much longer,

The man is a taker and I am a giver.

As I stay and watch as his bones become softer,

I wonder where we'd be if not for the river."

The river said he was the source of life.

"With power so strong none can argue,

All would perish if I run dry.

What concerns me isn't your points of view.

I am power and strength and I'm always running.

I don't stop for food or shade or sleep,

Life for beasts, old trees, and men so cunning.

It's quite a burden so I stay quite busy.

Truth be told there is one who is stronger,

In all my might I can't force him to move.

In all my days his days have been longer,

He's bigger than me, the tree, and the man too.

As time goes on he never seems softer,

I speak of the mountain who brings awe and wonder."

The mountain said above him none compare.

"Whether in strength or shade, contests are unfair.

My shade covers the shade of the trees,

No matter how strong, the river can't move me.

I give homes to the beasts and the birds of the air,

Compared with my strength the river despairs.

Feet covered in trees and head covered in snow,

I'm so mighty and tall and all the land knows.

Whatever in nature could defeat me?

But I feel smaller and weaker now as I speak.

The sound of a chisel - ting - ting.

The pain of the chisel - ting - ting.

How can this be, oh dismay!

The man so cunning chips me away!

With axes and hatchets and chisels and fire,

Not even I disrupt the man's desire."