:
How happy am I?
Drinking in summer,
Feeling my swelling fruitfulness!
Swaddled in a glossy shell
And a dense coat of prickles.
I am invincible!
:
You? I see you walking the busy concourse
Where five parkland paths connect.
Always alone.
Longing to connect with a certain man you see,
But you let him pass by.
Does your coat have prickles on the inside?
:
You look up to admire me,
Sad eyes reflecting my scorn.
You are like a fallen nut, crushed and rotting.
I can’t even pity you.
I will fulfil my destiny as a beautiful tree!
And I will suck greedily on your remains.
:
:
Published in Reflections, an anthology from Marlow Writers Society and Marlow Camera Club, March 2026
