Happy the Man by Gareth Evans

Happy the Man

i.m The Happy Man Tree (felled 5.1.21)

Happy the man
who in his stealth
has wounded deep
the people’s health

Happy the man
who blade by blade
destroyed the tree
the earth has made

Happy the man
who felled the tree
to make more
from his property

Happy the man
who let it fall
from council meeting
to our town hall

Happy the man
who in his tower
counts his riches
hour by hour

Happy the man
who needs no shade
beneath the branches
this tree had made 

Happy the man
who hears no birds
above the clamour
of his false words

Happy the man
who has no child
to witness his
pillage of the wild

Happy the man
who knows no grief
who answers – me?
I am no thief

of all you valued
and held so dear
and they who helped
both far and near

Happy all those
who stand up strong
remember the tree
and this great wrong.

Gareth Evans is a London-based writer, curator and producer