constructing poetry

Daddy and the Crepe Myrtle

Dad butchered
the crepe myrtle,
cut it back until it was
nothing more than
two thin sticks sprouted
from a common root.

it was time, he said,
too many branches
overburdening the top
means not enough flowers
reaching out to touch
the sky.

we laughed that winter,
as we passed the tiny
stumps in the middle
of the lawn in a bed
of daffodils.
we laughed because
Dad was overzealous,
a certified killer,
too quick with the pruning
shears—too ready to
chop gratuitously.

until spring came,
and buds formed,
and leaves and branches
came thick and fast
as though the tree had been
waiting for someone
to give it a new path.

and the flowers.
we had never seen such
flowers as erupted,
pink and vibrant
on that butchered tree.

Prompt for: May 8, 2016 ▼

Subject or Theme: Growth (any kind)
Word(s) to Include: branch, certificate (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): across, develop, emotional, grow, plant, stretch, sun, up (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)
Additional Parameters: Minimum 24 lines, no rhyming.
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.