Once upon a time
A long, long time ago
(I think)
there was a peach tree
and a village
which grew
around it.
Many
Many
Many Grandmothers
and
Grandfathers
grew up around the peach tree.
The peach tree watched
the children’s birthdays.
Watched them grow.
Marry.
Have babies.
Who
would
have
babies.
Birthdays
around
the peach tree.
The peach tree
watched
friends grow
who did not know they
were friends.
The candles lit
in the homes.
It sighed.
The candles flickered
through the night.
One night,
a cold wind blew.
And blew,
and blew.
The peach tree
shook
in its roots.
It shivered.
He remembered,
seeding.
Little seed.
Placed in the ground.
Furrow.
drawn into
and apart
from
the earth.
dry
arid
dirt.
red
against the sky.
brown limbed fingers
dropping
uprepared
alone
yet
joined
fingers
dropping
me
into the ground.
The darkness
sitting
time
lost
no meaning
finding how to breath
within the dirt,
time passed.
I would call out,
a voice,
remembering,
my mother.
growing inside of her.
celebration.
of.
light.
the Sun.
Worship.
harshness,
the hands,
plucking to be fed,
the teeth.
Searing into
my skin.
“Momma?”
“Momma?”
not even the gift of silence.
pure.
remorseless.
drenched into me,
not yet born.
greed.
Yachts,
slapping at me.
I must stop this now.
this torture.
I was taught,
to reach,
toward light.
I call out.
Again.
Cry.
Sing.
Murmer,
last breath,
against,
the red sky.
I grew,
without breath,
taller.
I hold on,
for Mother.
I stood beneath
the ground
waiting.
I can see.
Light.
Mother?
I look around
trees
cut upon
thatched
adorning “homes”.
flattened
against the sky.
Mother?
