Aule and Yvanna were keepers of Klootchy Creek woods
She, of all beautiful flowers and trees that grew there
He, of rocks and soil, taking great care as they should
lovers of of each other and earth everywhere.
About the year 1215, by a well traveled path,
Aule and Yvanna planted an enchanted spruce tree
as a landmark for sojourners on their way North,
an enchanting rainforest from mountains to sea.
700 years later, the spruce had grown exceedingly higher,
but, a giant Klootchy Creek eagle had nested on top.
All sojourners knew to be cautious when passing by here
as Ent bird waited in tree top for tourists to stop.
One day all the men of the town decided to cut down
the Klootchy Creek spruce to make it a safer place.
Telling Aule she must go and stop the men from the town,
Yvanna mounted her stallion and started to race.
She got there in time to stop their axes from chopping;
Yvanna shouted for the men to abstain from their plot.
She drew out a weapon and heard steel axes dropping,
the noise from the crowd awakened the eagle on top.
All townsmen scattered afraid of the huge bird,
as it swooped down from it's nest to gather its prey.
Aule was now worried what would happen to her,
as his steed flew faster than light on that day.
Yvanna looked up as great talons snatched her
and carried the fair maiden swiftly away,
to the top of the giant Klootchy spruce tree.
Aule, standing below could do nothing but pray
He began to climb the Klootchy giant,
the tallest tree in all of the earth,
drawing his sword to slay evil Ent,
striking it hard for all of his worth
Yvanna, now had a slim chance to hide.
Talons slashed fiercely as Aule made his mark,
plunging his sword deep in the birds side
Sudden lightening struck once and everything went dark
The Giant Klootchy Eagle rolled over,
huge talons still slashing in utter despair,
again lightening struck the great Klootchy tree,
throwing Aule and Yvanna high in the air.
Eagles feathers aflame, spreading wings to fly free,
Aule and Yvanna looked back as they ran
In much sorrow over the fate of the Klootchy Creek tree
And the great eagle had escaped being killed by a man
Somewhere by the sea in another tall tree
The great eagle has once more made its nest
Far from the Klootchy Creek tree and its keepers
He's now the largest bald eagle in all of the west
Today the Klootchy Creek tree is still in it's place,
Although Aule and Yvanna took care of it's wound,
But dying very slowly, scars show on it's face,
The injuries too grievous, leaving it doomed.
*see notes
© 2016 Cheryl Koko Koomoa (All rights reserved)
*The Klootchy Creek Giant is located at a roadside on the way to the Oregon Coast, visited by 100,000 people every year, The Oldest Sitka stood 206-feet tall and was a seedling when the Magna Carta was signed in 1215
-Largest tree in Oregon and one of the oldest living things in the state.
-Largest Sitka spruce in the United States
-First Oregon Heritage Tree (a program recognizing trees significant to Oregon history and heritage)
-Living Legacy of the primeval coastal old grown rainforests of the Pacific NW.
-It was struck by lightening 50 years and over time itt was filled with fungus indicating the spreading of rot
-The Klootchy Creek Giant is dying.
Note: The characters of Aule, Yvanna and Ent (giants) used in this epic poem are taken from J.R. Tolkien's fictional epic stories.
