the banyan

Published on The Wrong Review, March 2017

roots, roots everywhere
thin, thick, old, new
deep rooted to a fault
comforting, in a sense
but an unshakable identity
to everyone around

the same roots bind
strangle, compete
dry out, fall, break
rot and die
but an invisible choke hold
to everyone around

shade, conversations, secrets
people unburdening
happiness, sorrow
wants, needs
but a silent companion
to everyone around

oh, it was tired
its roots weighed it down
and the stories made it heavy
but it didn't know what to do
how could it stop?
what would they do?

should it break free?
but free from what, there was too much!
should it go deaf?
but deaf from whom, there were too many!

truth was that it loved to just be there
to comfort, to listen
save for the odd moments
when it all became too much

maybe it needed time
time to rest
to heal, to breathe
time to do what everyone did
with it, to it
time to let everything slip away
momentarily
just momentarily

before it would be back at it again
comforting, listening
doing the things that it loved
building roots, branching out
connecting new and old
people, stories
but being there
always there