MIROS AND MATAIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 9 June 1945, Page 8

MIROS AND MATAIS

There they lie—destroyed by man’s command. Could they resist the woodsman’s axe, unarmed? Proud giants of an age were they, Placed by Nature, in her way To hold the land and stop the slide From coming down the mountain side In years unknown to living man, But forming part of Nature’s plan These trees —now dead — With berries, in their season, fed The cooing pigeons ; And this year The birds will come from far and near In happy glee—depart in fear. Where now their winter food supply? Without that food, they, too, must die. Why were they cut? These mighty trees Whose beauty surely could but please Because a man said, "Here, their shade Rests upon a place I made.” The shade that sweeps from place to place As winter sun moves on apace ;. Nor resting here too long nor there. Said he, “ ‘Tis cooling all the air They must be cut.” And so they were. When He created man, He gave Dominion over living things. As steward, man must give

account And answer to The King of Kings. P. V. McNabb (Cobb River).