"You don'tbelong here," growled the city;
His voice barely recognizableover the morning traffic.
      "Where do I?" asked thetree;
Heartbroken.
      "Not here," snarled the cloudedcity;
Slowly releasing toxic fumes.
      "You're hurtingme," admitted the tree;
Pain oozed from his brittlebranches.
      "I don't care," proclaimed the city;
Buzzingwith pandemonium.
      "But I'm dying," the tree wept;
Smogintensified, strangling his branches.
      "You are," admittedthe city, uninterested;
Nearby flowers kissed by smoke, wilting.
      "Stop!" uttered the tree;
Exploding with fear.
      "Why?" demanded the city;
Wrapping his poisonous stencharound the tree,
like a snake ready to release his venom.
      "You need me," argued the tree;
The leaves parched andshriveling.
      "You're wrong," claimed the city;
Pollutingeverything in reach.
      "Children need me," explained thetree,
      "To climb and read books under."
The tree glowedwith contentment for just a moment.
      "It's too late,"roared the city;
Forgetting the tree ever was.
      "Please saveme," begged the poisoned tree;
Leaves perishing to theground.
      "You need me," whispered the tree;
Choking onthe poison.
      "Maybe," said the city;
The tree remainedSilent.