Acer Aspiration

[ChristopherSea]

finally I catch something from the start where I can say something useful (hopefully)

Acer Aspirations

Standing off center ?
in the loop of a cloverleaf
like a flagstick on a golf green,
a sapling waves her maple leaf hands. She burgeons triumphantly,
peering over rubber and rubble.

She yields to a cyclone
of car exhaust
that whirls sugary straws
pursued by eager flies. She's encircled
by coiled road vipers,
vulcanized serpents stinking
of sulfur and petroleum.

She might be overlooked,
if not for the ruby foliage
contrasting dull granite stones
about her tender roots. It's doubtful
that anyone will notice her,
see this marvel of survival
or realize that in two decades

one gallon of her sap
could provide enough syrup
for one morning waffle.

Really like most of this write, you have something good going with reminding us not to overlook the important things in life.

love ya, \
mel.

Some good ideas doll, glad to see you up and about. You always have something useful to say Melanie, thank you.

Off-center looks good to me.

I think that I could have stretched more of that highway biome and hazard imagery across the first two stanzas to soften the blitz. Let me see what I can do with it.

I'm glad you were routing for this little tree, I certainly am. I don't feel the ending marginalizes this sugar maple at all, but I think I see how another could see it that way. The intention was to illustrate how man does not appreciate the 'fruits of nature'.

The maple's precious offering of syrup is the result of decades of growth and gallons of sap. This gift is renewable if done properly. I will definitely scrutinize my close.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and ideas on this one. Between the critiques from you and Dale, I have enough fro my next edit. Cheers xoxo/Chris