the dreaming tree

i wrote a sestina. if you don’t know, the form is based off of the repetition of the initial six end words in the first stanza. the end is a three line envoi which includes the six words, two in each line. as an aside, i chose my six words from the lyrics on the back of my simon & garfunkel bookends vinyl. that sounds so hipster it’s ridiculous.

#1

in the end maybe flowers—
are you content with a laugh?
i supposed we could get quiet,
add a measure of grace
in the midst of madness…stop the zoo
with a simple song.

i could recommend a song
or bring blue flowers—
i still can’t quench the zoo
but i will absolutely laugh.
meanwhile i’m listening to grace:
she’s trying to play quiet

i think we all need to be quiet
(sometimes a still song
is hard to find), but grace
is out past the flowers
always ready to laugh,
always ready to go to the zoo.

i had my season in the zoo:
no cage was quiet
and you know those monkeys laughed.
every silly bird had a song
in gardens filled by flowers
perfect state of grace.

i question the glory of grace
when she’s like a zoo
and all i want is a flower,
some peace and quiet…
not a raucous song
or even a barrel of laughs

cause it takes a lot of laughs
and a trainful of grace
still it seems like every song
is the same ol’ zoo
and too much or not enough quiet
stops growing flowers

simple laughs in a mad, mad zoo
bring a song determined though quiet
and grace grows like a flower