The Indifference of Trees

The Indifference of Trees

 

The First Great Outrage

And the Emergence of “Me”

 

-P-

 

When I was very young,

 I was abducted by a tree

And held against my will

 

Forever.

 

Oh, then my darkest fears

Became my best ambitions!

 

But all my noble endeavors

Are the ingenious offspring

Of early childhood traumas.

 

When those bad things happened,

I could express only outrage

And inexplicable feelings

Of supernatural betrayal.

 

But I learned to parse my response

With sophistication and the weight

Of universally approved denial.

 

That allowed me to more comfortably skirt

The reality of what I am and where I am �"

 

In my intercourse

With others,

To be sure!

 

But even more devoutly

In the context of my inner dialogue.

 

-II-

 

Every horrifying event I experienced as a child

Involved a lesson in how the physical world

Is indifferent to my uninvited existence.

 

I learned that trees do not care about

The plight of a darling little boy,

 

And that every physical object

Is a threat to his well-being.

 

Therefore, I have sought

Career achievement,

 

Agitated for reform,

 

And written poetry.

 

These activities distract me

From revisiting too often

,

Or at least too deeply,

 

The indifference of trees.