I stare at her in the lake

Baobab roots plunge down from

                                                        under the eyes

Hollow rotting wood, sacrificing its leaves

                                                                 to the soil

Unfertilised muck, enamoured on by the flies.

This wilting willow will perish

For inside, is a flourishing seed

It thieves from nutrients, and forbids the sun

Overpowering without a voice, relentless

                                                                in its feed.

Borne out of love

But bringing only terror

Branches excrete poisonous sap,

                                      thorns leaping from bark

No one will dare to come any nearer.

And so this solid oak stands alone

Tactile breeze tears the leaves, strips

                                                           the soul bare

Trunk bending over backwards she

                                          imitates a crippled hag

Shackled into making a choice, speak

                                                         up if you dare.

Now on the verge of collapse our

                                     sycamore raises a branch

Towards the tip of the horizon where

                                                    balances the sun

The tree surgeon has rebirthed the pine

And the heavens openly bloom to

                                             applaud this is done.

Silver linings rupture and the clouds

                                                    unleash their pelt

Ground and soil blanketed with dew

Evergreen roots nestle down, confide

                                                       with the worms

Mother Nature has declared it is time

                                                          to start anew.

Defaced and detached

The seed is unlatched

The rowan now free

To be nothing, but be.