Aesop told me     this story,

there was a tree

a great-grandfather tree

loved all the birds

all the little song birds he loved

gave them shelter

gave them homes

happy was the tree, hearing sweet songs in the morns

happy was the tree, taking chics in his arms

but a bird was not happy     with claws and beak

like sharp knives and  daggers

he wanted the tree for himself     and himself only

not for anyone else.

so he attacked all the little song birds

killed their chics

destroyed their nests

and sat on the top of the tree.

the great-grandfather tree was left with

sorrow.

soon he dried

dried and fell down

fell down and was dead.

Aesop told me this story

and asked,

did he die       or was killed?