there used to be a great grey tree
mazelike and boundless, black glass leaves,
depth-first in crown, blue jays ran free
beneath its root the mice would sleep
it used to be a law for thee
no one keeps watch over the tree
you take its silence guaranteed
to mend sapwood, it needs just breathe
but with the seasons' culling, we
grew bold and hungry and carefree
took its own safety guaranteed
forgot that it was just a tree
jays forking nests above, while we
worked day and night our burrows, gleamed
at thought of rats and moles all free
from outer loop's bloodthirsty glee
on invite day, a dead egg split
and from the bedrock rose a seep
a creature bigger, versed in leaps
excited, helpful, planning deep
i tapped the trunk along its hint
while its white scaffolding clawed in
my friend, a sparrow, indexed wings
while glass eyes sprouted in his limbs
and when i looked, he wasn't him
and when he looked, i wasn't me
i tried to run, betrayed by limbs
watched sparrow's chest turn to a kiln
there used to be a great white tree
orderly shedding golden leaves
breadth-first in crown, eyes flowered free
below steel roots, ants knew no sleep
Posts & Arts: 70/1k.beats
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