Lillian Dunn

The Poem Tree

THE POEM TREE

I.

!ere’s a dead tree on PassyunkI write on the dead tree

!e Dead Tree(a poem)

!e treeis

DEADitisa

Dead Treethat

has died&is

NOT ALIVEnow

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just dead

I hang some leaves on the dead tree with !ne copper wire

& some aluminum can tabs& some red plastic rings from my Spirit Stick& a green ribbon & a single pigeon featherfrom my Spirit Stick(like a bird has come to pay respects, and left a card)

I think the tree feels bettereven though it’s dead

I know I would

II. "

I walk to the bench by the poem treeI a#x 5 poems& aluminum tabs& colored circles

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walk north out of the shadesit on the blue wallin sunlightunder the oakwhose leaves have only begunto turnthe oak tree the windsounds like waterwaves breaking on a sandy shoresixty years ago !!!!!!!wind borne to this city streetthis walltugging at the poemsthe little treea maston the deck of the earth !!!!!sailing

through time

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* !!!!* !!!!*

III. Blue Wall

I sit on the blue wall by the bench on Passyunk

I watch people passI watch them pass the dead treethe dead treewith the poem written on the trunk

& the aluminum tabs& the leaves dangling in the windfrom "ne copper wire

#ey don’t see the dead treethey don’t see the poemor the aluminum tabsor the leaves dangling from "ne copper wirethey don’t see me

I wonder what would happenif I were naked

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sitting on the blue wallI wonder what would happenif I took o! all my clothesbut I don’t

I would be cold& people would see mefor what I ammy old man’s bodymade of aluminum tabs& leaves dangling from "ne copper wire& cops would arrest me and treat me badly& put me on a list& I would never be allowed to see another child for the rest of my lifeI cover myselfwith leaves and "ne copper wirewith aluminum tabswith invisible wingsspread wideto hide what I am what I have become

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IV. Night Visit

(!e) Spirit Stick (I dare notcall it mine) --trembles before the Poem Treepoor brotherdressed in tatters, ribbons of honor and shamedangling poemscupped """"" (like hands in prayer)by scrotal cards wordsseed the nightinvisibleinvadethe eye """""begetsa soul, a second voicebarking like a dogcoughingbreathless faint """"synecdocheof vision """""waking """"waking

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from old bodies bornea will !!!!!a way !!!!!awake! !!

V. Searching for Lost Poems

Lost, then ?wind or takenpoems left hanging dangling threeold men speakItalian did they?

See who took them !!!!!search streetgutter, walk the parking lot

No sign !!!!!the treeas symbol, then? !!!lifeless moving blueon bluecardsagainst the sky

Newly written

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then

now

wind whipped !!!!!clack & "ickon branch on barkless trunk !!!"ips

breaks loose !!!!three poemsor four

unclipped

windborn wild

breathless !!!

free

Jacob Russell

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