It was the same indecision that brought the kingdom to its end. The north seceded and made its own nation, Israel. The south stayed into Jerusalem and continued their own administration. But, alas, they too would forget what it meant to be theirs. The tree greieved because of their insolence. I continued to wilt, even though it could withstand sandstorms, lightning strikes, war, pain, and that false sense of peace.
There was that one ring, Grumbling, when the people complained in their holy days. And someone added Murder when that woman Jezebel came thundering down from Samaria, asking for the heads of the prophets. And no one can forget Anguish for the trials that cost the lives of men who fought for something vain. And not even miracles could save the tree, for it only became the beginning of the end.
But the final ring of the tree, the one that would shake the core and the people away, the one that would seal their fate as a nation, would be laid one day as the sound of arrows and martial choirs and gnashing teeth would destroy their hearts forever.
Disobedience.
That was the cause of the City of David, some changing its name to the City of Broken Dreams. Mothers wept while they chose which children should live. Fathers killed each other in order to provide some food for their family. Virgins shaved their head and covered themslves in sand and dust and hopeless desire. There was no reason to sing, no reason to take their joy away since they did that on their very own. Why they should dream? Why they should hope? What was their purpose, if they brought this pain all by themselves?
Then then they remembered the days of their fathers—the glorious days of the parting sea, of the falling manna; the days of copper and silver and gold for the temple, of reds and purples to stand at their posts: those days of quail and serpents and raising hands. How they wished to have that! How they wished to dream! Oh, if only someone would dare hug them, someone from above!
Someone from the invading army relieved himself on a tree, which bent from the ravaging weight of termites leaving the tree empty and hollow.