when you see it

alone, away from
where she stands
rooted deeply
into the earth
it's easy to say,
look at how
beautiful it is,
this tree.
and a friend may
walk up to you
and agree because
it's what friends
do, before long
others too will
come to stand
and stare in polite
silence, but soon
someone will say,
if only that
branch were trimmed,
if the trunk
was more lean
and straight.
if only those nests
were not there
if only
the roots were
buried deeper
into the ground,
it's best though to
not listen. you
know what love
is when you see it.