Trees

By kv adams

we watch through unveiled windows willing her to wake up sun does his bit and butcherbird chortles before that moment comes her good morning to us lucky bamboo
in his new vase
sneakily tickles her
as she moves
along the breezeway from bedroom to kitchen cassia smiles
at his flirtation
her yellow dawn flowers pirouette to the pool
for their morning swim teapot wind chimes herald her arrival
in the north west
before she pads
in bare feet
to the south east
to finish her greeting today
she’s added an addendum
gardeners will be here tomorrow
for a major cleanup ground cover
buzzes excitedly
fear spreads concern
till ginger plants
yell in unison to
listen
and every murmur stops before
a sigh of
relief is heard
as she says
she’ll be here
all day
with us
holding back tears she says
some of us
must go
but each species
will survive
the cleanup muttering begins
it tumbles
around the yard
even the wildlife joins in till eventually
we’re all in
agreement it’s best the
dead and dying
be removed
because 
a firebreak 
needs to be
established 

This poem was created during a workshop with New Shoots: Cairns Botanic Gardens