Things We Can Never Take

beyond the gate
lies a tree
standing proud
yet drooping
with the weight
of its offspring.

we would watch
as each
one of the
fruits fell
and we'd stay
as the wasps gathered.

faces smushed against
the bars of the fence
we'd see the gardner
pick up each fallen
grace, putting them
into bags.

one day, he gave us
each one, ones he made sure
weren't spoiled
were clean
and
were okay.

my sister had a huge smile
as she tasted
the fruit of eden
ones we
weren't allowed
to ever have.

is that why,
do you think,
everything is
so, so
bad
right now?

because we didn't something we shouldn't?

i don't know.

Abriatis

NY

YWP Alumni

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