NOT A TREE: ALICE FOLKART Next Poem:....................................................................................................................................... Back to Poetry Index

The palm across the street

stands stately

embraced by wanton vines,

wine-colored petals

droop slyly along its manly flank

caressing its stubbled trunk

leaning into all its crevices.

This is no ectomorphic plant,

but, strong and squat,

thick of thigh and neck,

gigantic round head,

fringing fronds framing

a setting sun.

Not a tree at all,

but a home

to every crow

from miles around.

Their conversations loud,

like immigrant neighbors

or blasting boomers,

almost overbellow

the rattling

rippling ring

of the wind playing

it like a spikey xylophone.

Alice Folkart is a poet and short story writer from Southern California. Both her short stories and poetry have been published in a number of on-line and print journals, Ken*Again, Poems Niederngasse - Marginalia, Long Story Short, Nights and Weekends, Mindfire, Writers Post Journal and the Judd's Hill Winery Annual Poetry Journal (competition). She lives near LA in Southern California and travels extensively.

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