Branches
they vanished into the branches of paper
became a comma forgotten in a line
rain splashed the book and the words became blurred;
finally together as a whole
he became a dreary puddle
sucked their hands into his whirlwind
consumed a mind for the very first time
he needed them like the wind needs the trees
the branches twirled and lost their form
his newfound scripture was now divine
parents cried out asking for their children back
but only one emerged from the bark
fireflies lie dormant on the tip of his leaf
this collective spirit a dilating pupil
roots grew while branches mangled
the creature no longer a tree
last night I cried for the very first time
and tears of sap leaked out of our eyes
a calm depression overtook my soul
as I was enveloped by the branches
Conner Gebben is a young writer from Pittsburgh, PA who specializes in poetry and creative nonfiction. In his free time, he loves to sit under a tree with his friends, read pragmatic philosophy, and collect physical media.
