Acer Aspiration

[ChristopherSea]

Dale/bena edit 1 thank you

Acer Aspiration<-- what is the tree aspiring towards, or is the piece's aspiration for the tree?

Standing off-center
in one loop of a cloverleaf
like a flagstick on a golf green,
a young maple waves her leafy hands.
She's encircled by vulcanized road vipers.
Undaunted, she flourishes triumphantly
over rubber and rubble.

The sapling yields to a cyclone
of car exhaust that twirls sugary straws
pursued by fervent flies.
She's nearly invisible in the whirlwind,
if not for her ruby autumn foliage
contrasting the dull granite shards
threatening her tender roots. <--not sure this is consistent with triumphantly

Motorists won’t notice this miracle
of survival or realize the decades
it will take her to mature
or appreciate that she’ll donate
two gallons of her sap <-- does anyone tap trees in medians?
to provide just enough syrup
for their morning waffles.

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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.

First thought: Harold and Maude. If you've seen it you know. I'm not sure if I understand the focus. On one hand there's the power of life to over come and find a way. On the other there's a lack of awareness by the motorists as they drive by, and then there's the carelessness of the planners who thought a narrow median (I'm guessing it's narrow) would be a perfect place for a tree. I'm not sure if it needs a specific focus, however I would prefer it if the tree wasn't anthropomorphized. I don't think it adds anything to the piece.

bbcd, Thanks for taking a look and sharing your reactions. The tree was not planned, but an accident/opportunity of nature. However, a cloverleaf loop is a large area (100s of square feet). I thought the plot and theme were self-evident. I will take another close look nonetheless. Just surviving is triumphant. It's aspiration is survival, but the double entendre is welcomed.

Primarily, the poem is about overcoming the odds and my respect for what nature offers us. It's at least 20 years of maturity and tens of gallons of sap to produce that little 6 oz bottle of maple syrup (whether you tap it or not, that amazing revelation stands). In the area of New England where I live many of the sugar maples are tapped.

You probably have to be a tree-hugger to appreciate giving the tree an identity. However, I can care more about some trees that certain humans.

Thanks again./Chris