The Giving Tree

Eloise was a tree. She grew tall and strong and green feet

roots sprouted leg trunks sprouted branch body and branch arms sprouted leaf head and hair.

Eloise was a tree.

Morning Bird Courtesy of Bridget Galway © 2011

James was a woodpecker,

He visited her on Sundays when it didn’t rain and ate bugs off her skin and ran his feet through her hair-

They were cold but she didn’t mind,

But James was a woodpecker and birds fly south for the winter,

She couldn’t follow,

She had to remain true to her roots.

Eric was a squirrel,

He came to Eloise on weekdays that he didn’t spend in his girlfriend’s hole,

He burrowed into her and it hurt a little,

But he was warm and she was glad for the companionship,

But Eric was a squirrel

and eventually he went off in search of his nuts and she never saw him again.

Harold was a lumberjack and she fell for him,

Of course he was just using her for her body,

They all were, in the end.