Tall Trees

TALL TREES

Within Redfern Park

tall trees can be seen

And air vibrates

when it rains

on a hot sunny day

Wet earth, eucalypt oil, figs, palm foliage –

spread fragrances around the Park

and shade, shadow and light,

damp, dry, parched or drenched,

composting is happening

Makes me forget for a short space

that tall trees are quickly lopped,

disappear into an arborist’s

grinding machine and back of truck

Shredded remains lying in allies and lanes

across suburbs including up this street

where workers had parked

on weekends around noon,

and during the weeks, early or late,

when no Council scout could be found

and when neighbours were running for work

Trees falling like ‘tall poppies’

smashed, changed paths,

hardening mud, poured concrete,

cubic metres of floor space,

for views into private windows behind tiny balconies,

‘little boxes made of ‘ticky tacky’’

and all foliage cleaned up.

Additions, subdivisions, renovations, restylings.

After which we shall re-style the parks

and begin all over again.