The Peepal Poem by Dann Thomas

A touch of light green on dry wood is sawn
Slowly stretching herself from a veined bundle
This story begins cocooned in chlorophyll.
A little heart is born

Unfolding from her covered dream
Hesitating, peers from enveloping covers
Uncertain she wants to meet with summer’s
hungry dry scream.

She dances unsure in her light green dress
The sun plays through the translucence
The wind swings her in happy innocence
Her first unsteady steps.

Then suddenly she turns a golden bronze
Shakes her head to the rain and the breeze
When shyness and inhibition doeth cease
Singing youth’s freedom songs

The sun tipped edge of that glitter fades
With time, bronze turns envy’s dark green
When shadows grow long, darkness seen
And age’s doubt invades.

About to fall, yellowed round the temple.
I asked “little heart what do you see”?
She replied from atop the learned tree,
“only little people”.