Black Willow Tree 

 

They emerge to mate 

and then deposit their eggs 

on black willow,

 

You could hear the wild birds

sing their pleasure songs 

to keep hanging on,  

 

To a birch and hack berry trees

a variety of species

some exotic, have moved in,

 

True happiness became a miserable

of the bullies who had aged badly

rain they bring for the

black willow tree they sleep,

 

among them crepe myrtle

golden rain on how the black bird

sing on high wanting to fly free,

 

To travel in true love 

to the trees laced with vines

where true Love can fly freely 

without the bully's,

 

The black willow has large

leaf-like, heart-shaped pustules

green as the leaf of a saw tooth 

rain ruining down like gold,

 

 Poetic Judy Emery © 1980