"we shared a nest..."

 "Whatever it is
that lives,
a man,
a tree,
or a bird,
should be touched
gently...”

- e. goudge

bird and tree

if you
were a tree
i would build my nest in
that gentle crook
where your highest
branch
meets the core
of your trunk

I would feather it with
tinsel
from a Christmas tree
she
dragged to the curb
in her nightgown
on
January 2
while the
children
were
sleeping

I would find the auburn hair of
a young princess
and
weave it through
fragile walls
to give
it strength
hoping we
could be together
always

I would search the
landscape for
blades of soft grass and tender
fragrant herbs to
ease the tension in
your limbs

i would bring home
bits of
string and
glitter, a rainbow of
paper
and a sliver of the bluest
beach glass
showing you how
the world
is colored

i would rest in your arms
leaving only
in order
to find something
beautiful
i could bring back
to you

that in
your
immobility
we could
examine
it
together

there would be
nothing
between us but
this nest

something
that could not exist
without us
both

if i were a bird
i would
leave feathers behind
so that you would
feel my touch in
every
gust of wind,
every
soft breeze,
every
breath of
twilight's
hush


i would ache
until i returned
from
flight to
find your arms
unchanged

i would
be willing
to
give up
wings
to
stay here
in
the
safety
of
your
branches...

if we were
bird and tree

we would
know no
species,
genus
or
gender

we
would
know
we
belonged together

just
because
we shared
a nest




"...and on the
same branch,
bend...”

~ Mary Baker Eddy