A WORN PATH

Driving down an old dirt road 

that has existed as long as I can recall it has many turns, 

up hills and very few down hill moments. 

It twists and turns like the wheel of a ‘09 black ford ranger. 

The road doesn’t seem to have an end. 

The dirt is kicked up by my tires 

that probably should have gotten replaced a couple months ago. 

In the distance I see a tree. 

It’s not a normal tree though, 

this one has bark on half of it 

you can see the inside of the tree on the other side. 

As I get closer I realize I’ve never noticed this tree before 

even though I have been down this road more than a million times. 

I get closer and closer to the tree

it isn’t seeming to get any bigger 

which is something you might expect 

when something is as far away as that tree was. 

I finally get to the tree, 

I get out of the car and walk up to it.

It was dead. 

I came all this way and it was dead.