Member-only story
National Poetry Month, Day #18
Twitchy Tree Tales
A Tropical Tantrum?
I saw a tree mid-freak-out,
leafless, loud, and cross —
each limb a flailing protest sign,
for everything it lost.
The howlers howled, the toucans gawked,
the coatis stopped mid-snack —
as Fright Tree shouted, “¡Sálvame!
There’s danger at my back!”
“I’ve heard the buzz of chainsaws —
suffered scratchy ocelots,
and don’t get me started on termites
with their tiny, wicked thoughts!”
A sloth looked up (eventually),
raised one brow, and chewed a leaf.
The iguana blinked, “You okay, bro?”
while Fright Tree twitched in grief.
“I’m done with rain, with Quetzals,
with ants inside my bark!
I miss my leaves! I need a nap!
I’m feeling… very stark!”
A mango dropped beside it —
a soft and juicy plop —
and Fright Tree sighed, “Okay, okay…
I’ll stay. But y’all must stop.”
