Do only flesh and blood miss someone? Not like plastic toys Once played put back in a cubby Collecting dust till it’s held again But I’m made of flesh and blood Not a toy with hands needing play A toy that needs a reassuring embrace I’m made of flesh and blood Not like a tree adorned with children Careless of the winter wind Carrying off its leaves Take the toy from the cubby Take the tree out of my mind Give the toy a portion of my heart Let it know the beat of anxiety Give the tree a part of my flesh Let it know winter’s bareness Missing makes being harder Do trees miss leaves set free? Do toys miss the adventure? Do only flesh and blood know missing? Does our sun miss her planets Or is it mindless like Saturn Eating its own without reason? Is it because I’m a mammal That I know nurture? That I miss my mother’s teat? Miss my furry child? My cherished seedling Stripped from me by a winter wind I’m left with words as my brood Only humans play with words As if verbs could suckle me Even words will leave me Crucified on poetrysoup.com When your flesh has left me Nothing compares to you If only you were with me Then I won’t play with words Hoping trees and toys Will give me a kiss