Poetree (an urban forest shanty - Bin Rich
One of the Top 40 submissions in our 2023 Urban Tree Festival writing competition.
Poetree (an urban forest shanty)
Return me to the Earth
When i’ve fulfilled ma birth
No coffin nono hurst
Just an offering to the dirt
I wish to be a Tree
One with fruit, hopefully
But any shrub’ll work
..I aint no fussy birch
Few things that i’m certain of
That one there’s for certain love
These tresses is destined for the
Squirrel nuts n’ turtle doves
& Pigeons off the streets
& city paraqueets
Where you can smoke your ‘erb
With all the fackin’ birds
Roots of the Earth
Leaves to the Heavens
Roots of the Earth
Leaves to the Heavens
Roots of the Earth
Leaves to the Heavens
Maybe you’ll choose the same, boss
& Maybe we’ll be neighbours
& We’d exchange in fungus
Through the mycelli under us
Like crayon willies passed in class
Or ravers in the underpass
A layer really just for us
Below babylon’s universe
Maybe they’ll see our greatness..
& Cut us down for papers
& kids’ll claim our processed scraps
& scrawl on em to ‘Save Us’!
Maybe we’re both put in a notebook
With your page so close to me
You might start a seed of genius
I could be a Poetree
Roots of the Earth
Leaves to the Heavens
Roots of the Earth
Leaves to the Heavens
Roots of the Earth
Leaves to the Heavens
Bin Rich
Bin Rich is a rapper/singer/songwriter from Camden, London, who dedicates her art and activism to the celebration of the secret forest that is London.