April 14th, 2021 – National Poetry Month

Abruptly All the Palm Trees

by William Jay Smith

Abruptly all the palm trees rose like parasols,

and sunlight danced, and green to greenness gave.

Birds flew forth and cast like waterfalls

shadow upon shade.

Where the crab with its linoleum colors crawls,

and coral combs the crystal-caverned sea,

we stood, our blood as bright and fringed as shawls

before the beautiful, progressing leaf.

Abruptly all the palm trees rose like parasols,

and green was the green to greenness gave.

Dimension crumbled, Time lay down its walls.

And all the world went wading towards the wave.