The Trees (From a line by Patrick Traveler)*

The trees conspire in secrecy
like senators waiting for Caesar.
There's Cassius, withered through winter,
there's Casca, sharpening a splinter,
that aloof, by-proxy malfeasor
is Cicero in leafy hypocrisy,

all waiting since they were cotyledons**
nestled within the seed
in patient hunger, like smilodons,
for Caesar to bleed.

Though no Caesar of trees will walk their way
because trees can't walk, they heard one say
that Birnam wood to Dunsinane did move,
and that is sufficient to prove
their tyrant might show up one day
and get what his actions behoove.***

*https://www.pigpenpoetry.com/thread-27305-post-280808.html#pid280808
** ok, the trees weren’t cotyledons, only their leaves. Ignore that for the sake of art
*** grammatically incorrect, but it rhymes 

(05-17-2026, 09:52 AM)busker Wrote:  The Trees (From a line by Patrick Traveler)*

The trees conspire in secrecy
like senators waiting for Caesar.
There's Cassius, withered through winter,
there's Casca, sharpening a splinter,
that aloof, by-proxy malfeasor
is Cicero in leafy hypocrisy,

all waiting since they were cotyledons
nestled within the seed
in patient hunger, like smilodons,
for Caesar to bleed.

Though no Caesar of trees will walk their way
because trees can't walk, they heard one say
that Birnam wood to Dunsinane did move,
and that is sufficient to prove
their tyrant might show up one day
and get what his actions behoove.

*https://www.pigpenpoetry.com/thread-27305-post-280808.html#pid280808

I had to look up about half a dozen words but when I got to Birnam wood it all came together beautifully, well done. And thanks for smilodon, the build of reconstruction looked more like a small horse, scary.

(05-18-2026, 01:16 AM)wasellajam Wrote:  

(05-17-2026, 09:52 AM)busker Wrote:  The Trees (From a line by Patrick Traveler)*

The trees conspire in secrecy
like senators waiting for Caesar.
There's Cassius, withered through winter,
there's Casca, sharpening a splinter,
that aloof, by-proxy malfeasor
is Cicero in leafy hypocrisy,

all waiting since they were cotyledons
nestled within the seed
in patient hunger, like smilodons,
for Caesar to bleed.

Though no Caesar of trees will walk their way
because trees can't walk, they heard one say
that Birnam wood to Dunsinane did move,
and that is sufficient to prove
their tyrant might show up one day
and get what his actions behoove.

*https://www.pigpenpoetry.com/thread-27305-post-280808.html#pid280808

I had to look up about half a dozen words but when I got to Birnam wood it all came together beautifully, well done. And thanks for smilodon, the build of reconstruction looked more like a small horse, scary.

thanks, ella. I'm glad you like the smilodon. I hope we can resurrect the species one day.