Sky Trees

From my 2017 collection. The war in Ukraine forces me to remember that we seem doomed to repeat the same tragedies again and again.

Sky Trees

There are trees that are older than you
or I shall be, their roots hold secrets of the soil.

He pointed his plane, locked onto another
and shot it down. No time to think of the German
mother waiting as his enemy fell out of the sky. 
The pilot was a young man, yet to see this
Hampstead cemetery, neat white crosses in
autumn sun.

He would tell his grandson of the clouds and sky,
his wife of seeing her when brought down; 
he survived. In later years he would talk to the 
boys laid in fallow ground who slept and heard
the whispers of the leaves.
In his dreams they were young men.

Birds dance on the edge
light steps on soft green. 
There are trees that are older 
than you or I shall be.
Do they listen as wind bends branch
throws leaf against leaf?

Shereen Abdallah ©