- Jennifer Torres Alcántara
Uprooted
How many times can a tree be transplanted
before it affects its growth?
The shovel going in,
the popping sounds of roots
cracking, breaking, pulling,
and out it comes.
Most of the root ball intact,
but some roots sticking up
from the gaping hole in the dirt.
Separated from the tree,
casualties of the move.
Off the tree goes,
roots wrapped,
traveling to its new home.
Once replanted,
it will need to acclimate to
its foreign surroundings.
Its new soil composition,
new temperature range.
new everything.
Its roots will need to grow
right away.
To anchor the tree into the soil.
To provide the tree water and
nutrients.
They begin to stretch themselves out.
Reaching down into the ground,
growing deep,
yet again,
because unlike people,
trees don’t remember
being uprooted.
by Jennifer Torres Alcántara
