The Tree of Peridot Green
Inside a perfect square, a fuzzy square,
Rose enclosed by bloxy buildings there,
Within the Mannahatta, ship at sea,
Whose figurehead green Liberas does lead,
A tree, a simple city tree steadfast
T’was rooted starboard and aft of the mast.
Ne’er was there on deck a heartier swain.
High it rose, and strong towered by the main.
Sharp and jagged its limbs hauled at sky
Just under the rigging of city eyes.
It wore as medallion the severed head
Of a mortified guard whose captain was dead.
It fought with the winds, Hudson winter blasts,
Weather shore man o’war canon ball casts
That freeze the crew at the Riverside rail.
Yet our hero leans into every gale.
On either side youngsters share leafy winks,
Chase the sun too much, and excessive drink.
But never between them did anger sow.
To each their own and allowed room to grow.
Mateys aboard the Mannahatta main
Hold fast in the squalls in the wind and rain.
For though they be tough this intrepid crew
There be many down on this passage through.
They send up to the air a strident call,
‘Bark back you all and continue to haul!’
But fewer and fewer made the call back,
Faint voices into the metrostorm crack
And bang, the thunder pealing through the sails
Of glass and stone, masts of steel, wood, and nails.
Metal gulls honking loud with furious song
Hacking mists and fogs that hang about strong.
Our trio of trees inquired at a loss,
If anyone shot at an albatross?
Wave after wave they’ve held fast at the main
Surviving treacherous human sea lanes.
It was there in the square, the perfect square.
The fuzzy one shared by a loving pair.
It was a tree, a simple city tree
Within the Mannahatta, ship at sea.