Life of the Dead Tree Lyrics
It might have been lightning
or maybe disease
It might have been old age, root rot,
any one or more than these
that caused the death of,
the death of the live tree.
But don’t be sad
if the tree’s growth is gone
because in a dead tree
all sorts of living goes on.
Yes, it’s the life of,
the life of the dead tree
When a tree dies
the living things come to dwell
in the many nooks and crannies
of the dead-tree hotel.
Right under the bark,
bark beetles roam around,
wood bores dig deeper,
ants and termites abound
and they take cover
when the woodpecker pounds.
Owls might nest,
raccoons could, too.
A hollow center shows
what fungus can do.
All the parasites can turn
a tree into a shell,
leaving space for homes
even if the tree fell.
But then you’d have to call it
Dead Tree Motel.
As a motel, there might be
fox or skunks,
maybe mice or squirrel’s,
snakes or chipmunks.
Brown or white rot
will break the dead tree down
into cubes or stringy matter,
becoming part of the ground