White Gum of the Mountain

this little gum tree is not as beautiful as her sister

so it’s said

not long pale limbs stretched up to the sky, almost silvered

no, she is stunted and small

craning her neck from below, she’ll never be as tall

yet that fallen bark gives way to her unique blushing beauty

growing in the auburn desert over sandstone

though she be but little, she is fierce

little gum trees are hard to pierce

she does the duty of guarding her treasures alone.

for her jewels are fragile and hemmed with lace;

she shades them with her grey-green leaves

cupped capsules of fruit in every place.

she loves them dearly from their end to their start

a spark into a fire into a flaming raging pyre; it's burning her heart

a little gum tree holds her head high as she grieves.