Terry Miller Poet Free verse

The Mulberry Tree

The old women sat in a small circle
under the natural, unnatural,
shade of the Mulberry tree.
Weaving their knits;
a sing-song chatter
rising musically
into the hot Cretian afternoon,
past the children
perched 
in the branches above
eating the sweet berries.

Soon,
cold December will arrive.
The old women will hang
silently
the pruned, bare, thin branches
with water-filled bottles
forcing horizontal growth.
The shadeless Mulberry tree
will sing.
As strong, cold winter winds
whistle across the open necks;
a sweet random melody.

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Speaks Volumes October 29, 2022 at 1:28 AM I wondered what you meant Terry, by unnatural shade. Such a clever idea, to tame the branches into growing straight out to create more shade. A shade provider and also it gives sweet fruit. A versatile tree, and a very well written poem. Its entertaining and also informative. Enjoyed it so very much.