Like an animal struggling
to break its chains,
the tree writhes and thrashes,
as if struggling to escape
the earth’s firm grip.
Then again, maybe it’s not
in a struggle to break free
but a tug-of-war
to stay earthbound,
its roots clinging to the soil
like anchors in a seabed.
Yet, not all can withstand
the wind’s assault:
leaves fly, limbs tear,
nests blow to the ground.
But in the wind’s retreat,
the tree remains,
rising up and up
like a giant monolith
into the moonless night,
its branches shouldering
a glimmering canopy
of planets and stars.
