Grounded

Photo of the branches of a gumtree

Diverging branches,
young heads buried in the clouds,
roots deeply grounded

Watchdog

Photo of a single gum tree beside a lake.

Keeps a weather eye
guardian of life-farers
resident gumtree

Regeneration

From depths of decay
emerge the dead reaching out
a life composted

Wishful

eucalyptus trees with the morning sun shining on them

Wouldn’t world be better—
if the silver we pine for,
are gum trees only.

Ancient

photo of a eucalyptus tree bark

Old, spotted, wrinkled—
testament to life well lived,
grand dad eucalypt.