the laurel tree https://thelaureltree.net Tue, 10 Aug 2021 16:52:04 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 31022107 Food Court https://thelaureltree.net/2019/08/25/food-court/ https://thelaureltree.net/2019/08/25/food-court/#respond Sun, 25 Aug 2019 14:30:20 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1713 The garnish gallivanted
around the kitchen and fell
into the lap of a dish.
Smitten, he swore
to be her protector;
to love her
and hold her
forever –

and he did
as they copulated
in the acidic belly
of a diner.

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2019/08/25/food-court/feed/ 0 1713 Downpour https://thelaureltree.net/2019/07/20/downpour/ https://thelaureltree.net/2019/07/20/downpour/#respond Sat, 20 Jul 2019 14:30:04 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1715 Someone trawled a rake through the sky
to make paddy fields of clouds
a full season’s worth of corn it seemed
the sudden sheaves heavy and weighted down
low in the sky-
then, as if the farmer decided
the crops were ready
the harvest was nigh,
scythed them
and drenched me in breakfast.

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2019/07/20/downpour/feed/ 0 1715 A Christmas Gift https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/27/a-christmas-gift/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/27/a-christmas-gift/#respond Wed, 27 Dec 2017 14:30:31 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1673 I received an Apple Watch
as a Christmas gift
from my husband.
It was
trickery.

For
he asked
me to pick
yellow or rose gold
and I smiled, thinking: Jewellery.

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/27/a-christmas-gift/feed/ 0 1673 Lollipop Tree https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/27/lollipop-tree/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/27/lollipop-tree/#respond Wed, 27 Dec 2017 14:30:28 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1670 A lollipop tree
with an antenna
in a deserted wasteland
of cement,
radioing for help.

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/27/lollipop-tree/feed/ 0 1670 Today is lip balm day https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/18/today-is-lip-balm-day/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/18/today-is-lip-balm-day/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2017 14:30:02 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1667 The lip balm vaulted over lipsticks,
and hoisted itself upon a pair of lips,
while the discarded clouds sat around
listlessly, feeling that vast emptiness of
purpose that athletes who’ve lost in
their dedicated sport feel.

But not for long. For, in the sport of
vanity, every colour has its day.

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/18/today-is-lip-balm-day/feed/ 0 1667 Mountaintop https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/14/mountaintop/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/14/mountaintop/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2017 14:30:43 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1660 If heaven is above us
and hell below, then this
is the closest
I’ll get to heaven,
and the fastest
way to hell.

Yongpyong, South Korea.

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/14/mountaintop/feed/ 0 1660 Rooted https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/14/rooted/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/14/rooted/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2017 14:30:35 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1653 The cactus glared back with
one bloodshot eye but,
even with two walking sticks,
it could not get away.

Like a grumpy old man.
]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/14/rooted/feed/ 0 1653 Lotus Lights https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/13/lotus-lights/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/13/lotus-lights/#respond Wed, 13 Dec 2017 14:30:47 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1646 Each flame’s an entreaty,
a fiery bud planted by many an earnest devotee –
that the Sleeping Buddha may in
divine mercy let his overflowing
empathy wash over humanity. And
whenever a tiny light flickers out,
somewhere else a plea is answered, a
dream flowers, and a wish bears fruit.

In Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/13/lotus-lights/feed/ 0 1646 Pockets https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/09/pockets/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/09/pockets/#respond Sat, 09 Dec 2017 14:30:09 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1617 Pockets are very important. Low how careless the universe its – it dropped the sun again.

I love sunsets

]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/09/pockets/feed/ 0 1617 Yearning https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/08/yearning/ https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/08/yearning/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2017 14:30:09 +0000 https://thelaureltree.net/?p=1613 The years, the years tree spend,
trying to reach the other side.
And we drive under, oblivious,
to the overarching botanical effort
of picturesque roads.

An instance of such longing involving years – perhaps that’s how the word yearning arose.
]]> https://thelaureltree.net/2017/12/08/yearning/feed/ 0 1613