Crop Circles

Question: When is a forest not a forest?
Answer: When it's a crop.

A human-resource,
A recyclable fast-food container,
A flat-packed furniture force of nature,
To save face, replace single-use plastic waste,
Feeding our need to be seen to be green.

Question: When is a forest not a forest?
Answer: When there is nothing but silence.

No birdsong, no deer,
Just a cowering sense of fear
As the echoes of massacring chainsaws
Rip through layers of bark, skin, time -
Bleeding sawdust tears.

A nightmare, this reality-dream.
If a tree falls in the forest
Does it even make a sound?
Does it's life even count
If no-one hears it scream?

Question: When is a forest not a forest?
Answer: When this crop is a full stop.

A circle of green
With a dark centre.
Sustainable, yes?
But what of the cycle?

Question: When is a forest not a forest?
Answer: When it’s buried in greenwash, apocalyptic ash.

Narrow, pine-needled eyes
Stare out at an Alien landscape
No discernable life,
Save for a discarded mars bar wrapper
Floating lifelessly on a tyre-treaded puddle.

Look up, and out, beyond your comfort zone…
This is no ordinary forest,
This is a crop circle,
Life-cycle,
Lung.

A Wensley 
26.06.2023
Inspired by our walk in Great Wood