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                            TONY BEYER

 

                                                Persistence

 

 

most trees stand straight

and tall in the trunk

with a high sun-infiltrated canopy

spreading various shadow

but the olive wrests itself

up from the ground

spiralling and twisting through its axis

sheathed in scarred bark

over this core the spring screen

of dotted yellow flowers

hangs as a rough crust or shield

accosting breath

then giving place not to green

but grey glowering foliage

turned metal side out to the wind

or parched in summer dust

likewise its fruit

that needs work to become edible

bitter and simple on the tongue

with the taste of departures