so, i was sitting in the garden, right? and...

eucalyptus I
[06XII06]

without its leaves, the eucalyptus tree
in our garden becomes an accusing
finger rising from the ground--
a silent, static gesture that blames
the sky for its nakedness

around it, other trees whisper of
its vulnerability and pity its voicelessness
and lost knowledge of dance

the wind and birds don’t recognize
the eucalyptus unclothed
and above, the clouds race past
unwilling to get caught in its
still, bone-bare branches
___

eucalyptus II
[06XII06]

a white finger
pointing at the stars
graceful and long
unencumbered by modesty

or a paralyzed paintbrush
held upright and firm by the earth
with the paper sky doing all the work
for the uninspired artist