The Summer Trees Disappeared

Even the evergreens,
tall and majestic; blushed out of existence
before the empty-eyed public noticed;
too busy walking + talking & driving and listening
to artificial music, blasting
when one day all of the trees, down to the smallest weed
sank through the cracked pavement, retreating
miles beneath the electric city.

No green leaves left for anyone to remember
what they actually looked like.

A few focused minds, set on escaping the system,
stood watching in horror, blaming the breed
of ruthless, oil-driven vampires
creating invisible jails
full of jagged criminals, victims to themselves-
known as the working class,
who are allowed to leave whenever they want,
but will always be trapped: when ultimately all they need is
simplicity.

Happiness, buried deep down as far as
those lost trees, is stronger than you believe,
Sanity is found when suddenly
that shrubbery bursts through your chest,
staked in such a way
it makes you invincible
even in the midst of an apocalypse.