A New Word Today Poem by Alistair Plint

Invented a new word today
happened when walking
up the hill
Along the cobble path
past the
fruitless Avocado
[a majestic tree]
Looked at the now
dried fresh water spring
where many a white dove
had bathed before;
today, just barren and bare

I arrived at the Olive
there stood my tree
[that I had visited so many times before]
suffering the winter
and the autumn before it
To tell the story
I needed a word
so I blessed and christened
"leaf-less-ness"

Bared my feet
Filled lungs
with fresh spring air
contemplated Sandy
Turned, to make my descent
I realised I had finally experienced
"leaf-less-ness"

The voices in my left ear
sang louder
than I had heard them sing before
"well that took a lifetime"


[.]