my bending barren boughs are gone today
their work of years lopped off in minutes
there is nothing to lean protectively over me

like a lover tensing for a fight
pushing his necessarily fair and wide-eyed
quivering shivering thrilling girl behind him
as he takes on the world.

in their place is a blanket of air
that apologises for the mistakes of another
by cocooning me in warmth that soon turns to heat,
sweltering out every drop of misery it is possible to wring
in the chase for a future of opportunities

i must deny every possible present;
i know i would shriek in some other reality
screaming wildly against my kidnappers
who just want the best for me, really
but here i must paste my smile on with sweat
and prove i am worth the investment.