The Manchineel Tree: Never To Be Seen Again

By the brook,
Is a manchineel tree.
It waits in the trees,
Waiting for me.
A small girl: carefree, oblivious.
Skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony.
Bite into the manchineel fruit, coughing
Blood as red as roses.
Never to be seen again.
A traveller walks along the road,
Sweet song of the manchineel, luring him in.
Straying too far from the path,
A little hungry, a little careless.
Burning eyes, foamy mouth.
Never to be seen again.
By the brook,
Is a manchineel tree.
Take a bite of the manchineel fruit,
Stay a while under its branches.
Never to be seen again.