Old Tree

In my back yard there stands a pile of rotted tree bark and wood chips that once was a tall and majestic maple tree.  I wonder what it looked like when it once stood.  Based on what I can see of the trunk, it was likely the largest, healthiest trees in the tree line that separates my land from the neighboring farm.  Once, many years ago, some seemingly harmless event - perhaps a cat scratching its claws on the tree, or lovers carving their initials, maybe a woodpecker - created an opening in the tree's natural defenses and allowed a parasite to attach itself to the tree.  Seemingly no bother at the time, the tallest, broadest tree in the line still stood for many years as then a colony of termites discovered this opening, and seized on the weakness.  In each individual instance of the daily feeding of a termite the tree was virtually unaffected.  This tree had stood for hundreds of years, and some small parasite could feed on the tree, but certainly couldn't cause any real harm.  The people who owned this place when the infestation became noticeable knew when they saw it that it was probably too late to take action to save the tree.  And after the slow and continuous destruction that the infestation caused, all that stands today is a rotted pile of wood chips, bark, and the semblance of a tree stump.  I'm not sure when the seemingly harmless event occurred - or quite frankly if it ever did, if this thing was busted from the beginning. But I believe that the infestation has become noticeable now, and I fear that it may be too late for us;  Net-neutrality - Citizens United - Federal Reserve - IRS - endless war - NSA - TSA- Patriot Act - the list goes on.  This mighty majestic tree is infested.  I hope we can eradicate the infestation and begin the healing process before it is too late. And our great American experiment of freedom and liberty, justice and equality is not left to be a rotted pile of wood chips and tree bark for some dreamer to wonder what it was like when it once stood.