I Dare You

Oak tree if you had a head
It would be in the middle
Where they pruned you to avoid the power lines
Where there’s a gap that has formed your arms
Wings frozen in protest
Raised and pretending takeoff
Fall leaves feathering a mossy skeleton
Do it oak tree
I dare you
Fly away
Concrete and asphalt encase your roots and trunk
Rip them up
Turn them over
What are you waiting for
Surprise us all
Fly away

-T. Weeks
(A response to a rainy drive through Hillsboro)