Cupressus sempervirens by Shelley Wong
- Shade Literary Arts
- May 31
- 2 min read
–Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, CA
She climbs up the tree and plucks three Meyer lemons, giving two to me
I visit the garden in the afternoon, eluding the photographer’s frame
Echo of the cold iron gate closing to keep the deer out
In the Italianate garden, cypresses in four lined rows leading to the Temple of Love
Other names for Italian cypress: Mediterranean cypress, Tuscan cypress, Persian cypress, pencil pine
Couples marry here – they pose for engagement photos edged by the sleek tall trees and faded rose bushes
In the shade: a marble Adam and Eve locked and swirled
The tree is also native to Iran, where the trees are a poetic presence – considered sacred and a metaphor for “the graceful figure of the beloved”
The cypresses cast the deer in shadow
It is also a tree of mourning: Apollo changed a handsome boy into a cypress after he accidentally kills his stag
At dusk, the deer parade the lawn
Traces of sweet perfume in late fall
At the Temple of Love, sculpted snarling men spit into a fountain
At its base: screaming children’s faces
Like the redwood, the Italian cypress is known for its ability to withstand drought and fire
I visit the garden with my friend, who sees the fountain and says pedophiles
She climbs up the tree and plucks three Meyer lemons, giving two to me
SHELLEY WONG is the author of As She Appears, longlisted for the National Book Award for poetry and winner of a Lambda Literary Award. She lives in San Francisco.
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