REDWOODS TALK TO ME
(dedicated to Grace Slick & The Jefferson Airplane)
a tree points at me and says:
“I AM YOUR MASTER”
he must be telling me the truth because trees don’t bullshit
“IF I UNEARTHED AND SOARED TO THE MOON,
THE WATERS OF THE EARTH WOULD DROWN
YOUR MISERABLE SOUL”
he really can’t be all that bad because he’s a giant sequoia , I thought
“AND IF FURTHER PROVOKED,
I COULD ASK ALL OF THE SQUIRRELS AND THE OTHER LITTLE ONES
TO EVICT YOU FOREVER FROM YOUR HABITAT”
my God what fantastic power!
“YES, JUST BY MAKING MY BRANCHES INVISIBLE
I COULD SINK ALL YOUR OCEANLINERS AND
TOPPLE YOUR SPACESHIP DREAMS”
and as this nightmare lingered on a few minutes longer,
these words seared inside my chest:
REDWOODS TALK TO ME
STATE IT PLAIN-
THE HUMAN RACE
DON’T MEAN SHIT TO A TREE
11/15/69
Paterson