The Plane Trees

You run into her at
Saint Guilhem-le-Desert
you are happy
picking flowers
with a picnic of cheeses, and bread, and sweet grapes
having spent the morning
watching lovers kissing

come with me
you invite her
remembering intellectual matching
uncannyness
perfect companionship

she only stares. Her dress is dirty
and unspecial
her hair is long and dark and
tangled and wild
and she is not watching
the lovers kissing

but this isn't the story
about the time she was broken
and victim
and you led her gently by the hand
out into the warm sun
and washed her in the clear stream
to be dried by soft breezes
until she stopped staring
and her hair was pretty and clean again
and she ate some of your grapes
and cheeses
and watched the lovers kissing

that is a goddamn
boring story

instead
you will push her by the shoulders
at Saint Guilhem-le-Desert
to the massive plane tree
with its sloughing peeling skin
shedding impurities
unattractive burr balls
wind-pollinated
and drought tolerant
adapted to urban living
but also ancient
2000 years old at Buyukdere
at least

and you will stand behind her
and focus her stupid stricken stare
with your hands
holding her head from behind
directing

look

this is what
Menelaus planted
for Helen
before leaving for the Trojan Wars
and this is what
Xerxes dallied beneath
and took his pleasure in
so long that he
lost his war
but he wore a golden necklace
with its image
for all it cost him
but he wore that necklace anyway

it was worth it

look

this is an enormous thing
with height and girth and wide-spreading branches
unapproachable
and yet half the world
calls it the
adorable
buttonwood
this is a solid thing
immoveable and unfriendly
but also a player
in whimsy
in the Fairie Queene

her cheeks are hot and dusty
in your hands
and she squirms
struggles
like a four-year-old brat
you hold tight
you hold your ground
this is tough love
honey

look

until sometime
now and years from now
she stills
you are relieved
you don't enjoy this
you aren't a babysitter
you aren't her keeper
or savior
she annoys you
she doesn't get it that
you're on vacation

you let go
you leave her
in the shade and presence of
the plane trees

it was enough
you do not need to
share your picnic
and flowers
she will forage and find her
own food
her own pastimes

and watch the lovers kissing
if she wants to.