The Cork Oak Poem by Sally Sandler

Yours is not a clear or classic beauty.
Nothing like the leaves of liquidambar,
the flowers of the purple jacaranda,
or stature of the regal redwood tree.

More like a strong and stately older woman,
homely more than fair, since you were born.
And look past skin that's creased and cracked and worn:
there's youthfulness and vigor deep within.

Elastic cork, so supple and so vital,
the conjuring of atoms in your crust,
regenerates itself after it's cut,
and lives long past the wine inside the bottle.

In truth, beneath that furrowed edifice,
resilience is the beauty you possess.