everything stopped growing
patience, appreciation, understanding
and in rebellion,
(because everyone called this planet a mother
but in reality it was a child,
a child who would hug you in earlier days
but started to let go of your hand
when things became about appearance)
she stopped growing too
sour fruits melted into the dirt
branches would crack and split
rain would roll off them with no effect
everything was canned
everything was packaged and frozen
just as we had started to become
but parents would say yes there was a time
and paper would be stacked shamefully
and plastic overflowed and children asked
what a forest was, a garden, a lawnmower,
what are bees and sparrows and seeds
what does dropping like flies mean
and wrinkled faces told you about leaves
and how they were piled or
blown about by loud devices
how they changed color
and crackled under your feet
how they fell without realizing it
but this was only natural
a part of the next cycle