Childhood Noir

Jacaranda asks me what's wrong
and I look at the sun from my big rock
beside the elephant ear's soft green bodies.
I'm forgetting too much¸ I say.

It knows I shot the bird even though I didn't know
what would happen, even though my sister shot one too
and cried and the Daisy BB gun smiled and smiled
and and and

but the other trees adorned with chameleons
whisper their lies in susurrant cant.
All the pink petals look fast in my direction
then away again.

I don't know what the trees plan on doing
but their limbs stretch out casually, trying
to slip their arms around my shoulders.
Even the bright Poinsettia tree

unhinges its red mouths which bleed white
all over my hands, and while Daisy and the bird sleep,
Poinsettia coddles around me like mother
and bids me, Drink, drink of my candy leaves.