Prompt 11 June 11 "Out of the forest I come with my flowers, singing, all alone." from Little Red Cap by Carol Ann Duffy

I wish I could come out of the forest

Singing and flowers in my arms

But the forest has been ripped open

The floor is littered with cut trunks 

Dead branches are lying like dead limbs

Crushing under their dead weight

The underground vegetation 

Where orchids and wattles flourished 

Deep ruts from the wheels of SUVs

Have eradicated them

No wild orchids, no wattles 

Will survive the shock of falling timber

The Roos have fled the forest

For there’s nothing to eat

Their destroyed habitat

Forces them to paddocks

With no protection 

In search of some feed

Competing with stock

No, I do not sing carrying flowers

Coming out of the forest.

Lucette C. Bailliet 

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