"The Silver Birch."

Superficially lit by inner light, but
Blotched snootily with sooty besmirched cuts
Marking its pain
With the translucent pink stains of washed-out blood.
Dark branches reaching out,
With delicate thorn-like twigs spiking.
Transparent leaves, tiny, shaky, trailing low despondently,
Its beauty tarnished by despair
Disregarding its promise.


Kittie Carr