The Grief of Trees - DIANE ELAYNE DEES

Joined at the root, two tall pines  

form a “V” that reaches toward the sky. 

Their marriage, an inosculation,  

is forever. Each is allowed to grow, 

yet they never leave each other,  

for their foundation is strong.  

They once had a child—  

a gnarly vine with bark  

that stayed close to the parents,  

while—like all children—  

it explored the environment,  

swaying in the breeze.  

But breezes became strong winds,

and—over time—the trees lost  

their offspring. The mighty pines  

continued to sway and grow,  

though who can discern  

when a tree is grieving?

Not far from where the bereft gemels 

stand, I, too, had a partner,  

and hoped to grow while rooted  

at our base. But the wild wind  

of betrayal weakened our structure, 

and an ice storm blew through  

and detached us. No child was lost in our

storm, for there was never a child to

lose—an unseeded forest is also a loss.

Who can discern when a tree is grieving? I

grieve for them, and I observe them, as they

continue to thrive, joined securely at their

base, able to withstand the winds that tear

down the framework of those whose roots

do not reach deep into the earth. 

Previously Published by Sparks of Calliope, November 2021

Diane Elayne Dees is the author of the chapbooks, Coronary Truth (Kelsay Books), The Last Time I Saw You (Finishing Line Press) and The Wild Parrots of Marigny (Querencia Press). She is also the author of four Origami Poems Project microchaps, and her poetry, short fiction and creative nonfiction have been published in many journals and anthologies. Diane, who lives in Covington, Louisiana—just across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans—also publishes Women Who Serve, a blog that delivers news and commentary on women’s professional tennis throughout the world. Her author blog is Diane Elayne Dees: Poet and Writer-at-Large.