Trees

Walnut

Each fall this tree
one week to the next
like a clicked-off light
goes dull of color

as if it were a wearied lover
who'd done something quite lovely
and will again quite lovely
come the Spring.


Mimosa

It waits till June for blossoming
until the warmth of summer's sure...

just so your thoughtful body waits
before at last it turns toward mine.


Ginko

Only a Ginko knows the moment
for massively dropping its spatulate leaves,
all systems down, every sister tree
totally bare at once the same day
like a country that dies in its sleep.


Locust

Our volunteer Locust-sprout, so gawky,
frail, we almost weeded it out
has grown so lush it shields the house...

like a son you doubted would ever make good
returning in his cash-filled Bentley
"Dad? Mom? See?!"


Pines

They had to choose a travelled path to root in
where sometimes I must gun through with my van.

Before they think to reach up tall and thicken
I'll have to ax them out. They grow each day,

these five pine seedlings rising in the roadway,
so blindly settled where they cannot stay. 

© Barry Spacks