by Cora J. Ellewood

There are ghost trees on my drive.

Stripped down naked, bearing their souls to the world.

Looking dead but clearly alive.

Bark stretched painfully tight,

Peeling away to reaveal a new you inside…

Your young skin there, bare and paper white.

Your arms reaching as far as they can,

Searching for something good out there

To cling to, to grab them and save their lives.

Into the darkness and the light,

Upward and outward,

Trying…

Stretching…

Clinging…

Begging for life.

Please save my life!

And I will give you a life.

I will give you my life.

My heart feels every part of you

Every time we meet.

My body calls to me to run to you.

To throw myself into and onto you

Wrap around and hold you…

And let you hold me tight.

Until we both feel all right.

And in my heart and in my head,

I stretch my arms around you, my friends.

My blessed bare barked naked ghostly friends.

•CJE•