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Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide
Sprouting leaves.

Jab: sudden rough blow
Leprous hide: discoloured bark

A simple cut does not destroy a tree. A tree grows gradually, it is rooted
in the soil. A plant takes nutrition from the soil to grow into a big tree.
The tree is firmly bound with the soil. It takes in sunlight, water and air to
grow into a strong trunk and have numerous leaves.

So hack and chop
But this alone won't do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.

Hack: cut roughly by striking heavy blows

Humans cut and chop the bark of trees into many pieces but that is not
sufficient to destroy the tree. The point of the tree which gets cut gives
out sap just like a human being bleeds. Gradually, this would heals and
from there new branches start growing again.

No,
The root is to be pulled out —
Out of the anchoring earth;