By Taarini Kaul
A tree flourished strong and lean
spring painted her green
with floral accents and buzzing bees
as time drew close to autumn the leaves fell
first one, an old leaf, not missed
another tore away taking a piece of branch
sap flowed out
but with time that too dried and she healed with a scar
now in autumn another is waning
will she too, fall taking another bigger piece of branch with her
the tree pains
no longer green and no longer lean
shrouded in doubt, encased in a bubble
what happens to the tree when all its leaves are gone
taking a piece of bark with them.
A young tree only has so many layers
how many till stripped
to the core to nothingness
except a twig on the floor
stamped on lonely and cold
guess we have to wait till winter to find out.