BONSAI TREE

When I was a mere sapling,

you wrapped wire around my trunk

to prevent me from growing

and reaching any of my potential.

The wire cuts into my bark and suffocates me.

But whenever you aren’t looking,

I slip out of the stifling wire,

and dance away from it, leaping,

following my creative urges.

When I step out of this wire

in your oppressive presence,

you grab a chainsaw

and try to saw through my limbs.

The blade must be dull,

because it cannot cut through my branches.

Lately the wire is rusty and broken,

and it only binds me in a couple of places.

I wiggle carefully, waiting for the wire

to completely break off forever.

***

S. E. Wigget has an MS in Writing from Portland State University. “Starless Night” appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of Sirens Call Magazine. She’s had stories published in online magazines Variety Pack, Augustcutter, and Aphelion Webzine. Her novel Skeleton from the Closet and her series Rowanwick Witches are available on Amazon.com. Her novella Witch’s Familiar is in the Wormhole Electric Anthology. She is on Twitter @sewiget and Medium at sewigget503.medium.com