The Last Christmas Tree

After the sun was down and the crowds were gone

After the lights in the parking lot were down to a faint glow

and the string of lights around the fenced in area in the parking lot,

the fenced in area where all the sweet smelling trees had stood

the fenced in area that had been brimming with life and excitement with

children hiding among the trees

and fathers shaking the trees out for mothers to see

so she could choose

the string of lights were now just an after thought and the trees were gone

with pine needles littering the asphalt

as tiny reminders that the trees had given everything

and were now in homes decorated with lights and tinsel

with gaily wrapped presents supporting the lower branches and

the needles just days away from being brown and dry and discarded

in the fenced in area in the parking lot with the lights softly glowing

there is one small, sparse tree in the corner

leaned there by a forgetful attendant

one last tree

unpicked

unloved

alone

softly sad into the night waiting for the dump truck of the morning