In swarms down they came
floating on gossamer threads
microscopic parachutes
tangling on twigs, leaves
spinning cocoons
hundreds of thousands daily.
My trees were suddenly squirming
as armies inched up trunks
collaring branches with black fur
wriggling like unwanted fingers in crotches.
Spray, I thought, Spray Them!
Chemicals, poison, who cares
before all my leaves are gone &
I'm nothing but naked sticks
no flowers no future fruit!
Okay, Malathion.
But already it's pouring again
rain washing away everything
but gnawing worms
miniature writhing mustaches
silent mandibles munching
recruits seemingly emerging
from inside the very bark.
Okay, so my leather work gloves
can wring 10, 20 at a time, ha!
grab this seething branch
that slender trunk
twist the bloody buggers into gore!
Tree by tree leaf by leaf
grab pinch pop between thumb
and triggerfinger fast &
from the hip like Billy did
chartreuse juice squirting into
my eyes, hair, gloves dripping
okay, we'll see, we'll see
But every day another wave
appears like those hordes did
in which war?
Like locusts in the Bible,
which book? Destroying the
crops that fed the tribes
was that plague in Jerusalem
or Palestine?
Day after day, alone patrolling
holographic-vision developing
to see from every angle
like some legendary sniper
taking out bunkers...
Now, the hatch.
O, look! A little catter- baby
thin as a penciled eyebrow
inching its first branch:
smear.
Smear smear smear.
Okay now higher
above my ladder inching
like they do out on
thin limbs pinching with
telescopic pinchers, crab-like
a machine, unrelenting
& descend on slime slippery feet
carnage dangling around me.
So, gloves off survey
collateral damage:
countless leaves fallen or latticed
but many more still bravely
shining like green medals
While in neighboring trees
this uneven war rages on
Sun-silvered tents of recruits
cling to strategic branches
like second-generation terrorists
hatching plots to reduce
remaining leaves to lace
Denude another town
move on.
Rob Ziegler
Prince George
