Sequoias reach out
ready to receive storms—
passive as priests at confession—
watch widow-black mass
clouds gather to grieve
drum-heavy tension
into open-mouthed leaves.
Array of outstretched arms—
a vein-artery-capillary
neural network that funnels
into unquenchable quarry
of skyscraper roots.
After rain, life resumes—
itchy bark beetle, fleet-footed
squirrels in stop-start relays.
An air-cleansed chorus—
warbler, tanager and nuthatch notes,
echoed rata-tat-tat woodpecker beat.
Paul Waring is a retired clinical psychologist who once designed menswear and was a singer/songwriter in Liverpool bands. He is a 2018 Pushcart Prize nominee whose poems have been published in Foxglove Journal, Prole, Amaryllis, High Window, Atrium, Algebra of Owls, Clear Poetry, Ofi Press, Marble Poetry, The Lampeter Review and others. Find more at https://waringwords.wordpress.com.
Foxglove Journal 