Shakespeare's Mulberry

by Edwin James Wilson

Wisest of trees the mulberry
withholds its leaves beyond the hoar,
to vidicate some ancient law,
from Persia to the Roman See
as hostages to memory -
a mulberry planted by the bard
put Garrick, Macklin in its shade,
when both invited round for tea.

A muberry planted as a poem
cut down for firewood and rind,
a green twig kindling a clone
communion with its purple wine -
a quilted ransom for a king,
that will not stand the handling.

This poem is a public submission created for Red Room Poetry's New Shoots digital poetry anthology.