Strong

photo of a singlel gumtree on an empty brown valley, on the way from Adelaide to Central Australia

In desolation,
in vastness of highway hum,
grows a steady gum.

Light

photo of the morning sun shining through autumn trees that have lost most of their leaves

Filters through your limbs:
kiss of love; ray of sunshine—
early winter trees.

Surrounded

photo of small town Melrose as seen from halfway up Mount Remarkable summit, surrounded by gumtrees — Melrose, South Australia, as seen from halfway up Mount Remarkable

Flanked on all four sides,
eucalyptus aplenty—
tiny island town.

Emerge

closeup photo of the peeling bark of a tree

Our layers crumble—
when who we were fades away,
who we could be, comes.

Useful

photo of the broken stump of a tree burnt out in the middle — On the way up Mount Remarkable Summit, Melrose, South Australia

Bush fire season ends—
once a thriving monarchy,
now a burnt landmark.