Trees for small gardens by Darcy Isla

I name my babies
even though I cannot keep them
already they are
calling to Triassic queens
pruned pink perfection
blowing kisses at my window
on the breath of spring
breaking bark and splitting earth
t o lea v e mm e
Decaisnea fargesii
watchpost of the patch
outlier of the garden
stands tall to cold and disease
somewhere else now
Ficus carica Babits
self fertile Fig
does not need her mother
or any of the men she was warned against
Ginkgo biloba – Maidenhair
Tiger Fig Panachee
Japanese Bitter Orange
Yellow Giant
Green sweet
Stone Pine
children, all, once
Sorbus Domestica – True Service
Medlar
Evergreen Silverberry
Toothache
chiefly of the skin
Emperor Oak
Violet of Kutfej
Bubble Bramble
Purple chokeberry
Flowering Dogwood
gracing another window
meeting their new gods
Ziziphus jujuba Nostran

Darcy Isla (she/they) is a queer writer-performer based in the UK. Co-founder and co-host of Sonnet Sisters. Existing works include WAYSIDE – memoir; 100 FRIGGIN’ POEMS – poetry; IT’S OK TO FALL FOR CAMP BOYS – non-fiction (self-published); LITTLE IRRITANTS – poetry (Analog Submission Press). Her work has also been featured on Alpha Female Society and 330 Words. More work can be found on Darcy’s blog, and on Instagram @darcyislaasyoufindher