Night lingers beneath the silk trees’ curving boughs,
Velvet soft their star-spangled canopy,
Bejewelled as a sultry bridal gown,
And cool as the fountains of Samarkand.
When the golden sun lights up the eastern sky,
Dewdrops hanging from rose-silky petal spikes
Reflect the hues of hanging garden blooms
And glitter with the songbirds’ liquid notes
That pour in sorrow from a thousand captive throats,
Filled with all the grief of broken wings.
Growing far from home with roots in distant lands,
The silk trees’ feather leaf fans fed by foreign streams,
Across the years and burning desert sands,
The breeze sighs with their languid cloistered dreams.
Nice ode to the plant … 🙂
I saw them on your friend Finbar’s blog and realised we had the same trees here. The name is full of mystery. I don’t usually like exotic-looking plants.
My, that’s an interesting one! I also didn’t know those to grow on both sides of the pond. Thank you.
Which pond did you have in mind? I’m just over the Rhine from you 🙂
Ah, yes, I forgot! So sorry!!! I humbly apologise for my weak memory.
Don’t worry about it. There’s no shame in being an American—nobody can help where they were born 🙂
Phew … 🙂
such a beautiful poem, brought tears to my eyes… I have a seedling silk tree, can’t wait until it grows!
Thank you, Anita. I’ve always thought how exotic these trees looked, but have only recently learned their name. Who couldn’t be intrigued by a name like that!
Reblogged this on AnitaJayDawes and commented:
beautiful poem… made my eyes water…
Love the last line especially…
Glad you liked the poem, Sherri 🙂
That’s so very nice Jane.
Thanks Laurie. I walk past these trees every day but they’ve taken on a new meaning now I know what they are called.
It’s always nice to know the name of something. 🙂