A Tale of Two Trees

Two trees deep in the dark forest
Struck by strong winds
One, a strong mahogany
The other, polished bamboo

The strong tree hits the wind fighting
The other bends slowly, succumbing
Branches trailing down the other's trunk,
Down toward the roots

The bamboo stops suddenly.
Hushed whimpers are heard
His strong, hard wood---the mahogany's---
Leaves the bamboo bent, attached midway

And he stays there
For a long while. Swaying.
The whimpers grow louder
The wind, stronger

A crack is heard
The strong tree is breaking
Yet the bamboo remains swaying
to and fro, to and fro, to and fro

Another crack.
The strong quivers
His branches shake.
He's coming to his end.

And he does.
He comes.
To his end. Hard.
With a bitten-down groan.

He falls back, breathless,
Drained of his life-sap.
The bamboo is now stands.
Victorious. Empowered.