- Olives Yet to
Plant
- by Gary
Blankenship
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- Here on this river
land
- my skyline was trees
-
- I get uncomfortable
- where the sky is not
crowded
-
- beech, chestnut
- birch, walnut
- cherry, plum,
apple
- maple, oak, ash
- redcedar
- white pine
- blue spruce
-
- Groves of trees
collapsed
- harvested for bitter
reasons
-
- shredded for vanity,
hatred
- the worship of false
prophets
-
- and now my skyline is
empty
- and I fear for other
forests
-
- janitor, messenger
- air condition
mechanic
- clerk, lawyer
- entertainer,
scout,
- accountant,
secretary
- CEO, pilot
- flight attendant
- computer
programmer
- broker, salesman
- sailor, soldier
- fireman
- policeman
-
- artist, author,
- dancer, musician
- teacher
- preacher
-
- mother, father
- son, daughter
- brother, sister
- aunt, uncle
- cousin
- friend
-
- shattered timber
-
- And now my skyline is
empty
-
- beneath ash, dogwood
struggles
- beneath hemlock,
holly sheltered
-
- and the sidewalk
tilts the wrong direction
- for olives to be
planted where once the forest stood
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