Lives of Tree
The northern saga eyes forest
In seeds. Timbers
Spinning water, the pond’s surface
And oil. The hill is dark
With crickets
Glass bottles keep
When soil emits ink
And axle and thunder stalls
The harvest; mutes the summer
And violets. Down
The tree’s creased bark
Lightning starts a seam of heat
Until curtains of flame fabric
The branches as flames and
The sound of flames shape the trees
Burning their first farewell.