darling,
this heavy afternoon lightning ripples along the rooftops
& lemon blossoms on the tree hunching in the corner of the yard
put out their white cheeky tongues
to the abrasive air as they have with the autumn of each year
the tree survived droughts & defies the small black parasites
bleeding the moist leaves into curling fingers
(you should have sprayed them but did not
indeed my sweet if we have a mission to care for the earth
& all its creatures then we have failed dismally
forgive my indifference
a storm is rolling up from the south & the wind is lifting the roof
the aeroplanes fly low now because there is nothing to stop them -
at night burning jelly sucks in the air & steel & glass melts into the eyeball of the sun.
as our tree grips the earth i hold our children close.
we have done terrible things & terrible things will be done to us
but i will try my humble best to keep the human race
