Await

photo of paper bark trees by the Swan river, with dark clouds gathering above — Paperbark trees by the Swan river in Perth

Rolling clouds gather,
wind blowing leaves asunder—
paperbarks stand by.

Ignore

photo of a leafless tree on the sidewalk, as seen from across the street

Shoved to a corner,
out of our busy lifestyles,
old trees in our streets.

Muscle

photo of a leafless tree with a blue sky in the background and a few clouds

Lifting weights all day,
tree veins popping at the strain;
heavy clouds gather.

Shouldering

photo of two tree stumps growing parallel to each other

Pillars of a home,
standing tall and yet apart,
holding up the roof.

Adaptation

photo of a tall pine tree leaning away from the camera — Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia

Old pine in new world,
migrant species learns to live—
we bend not to break.