GINKGO

... at the night markets
when the gypsies come to town
my friends and I watch the drumming and the fire twirlers
and for some reason find hilarity in our own lack of circus skill
or indeed dexterity with the faming hoop.
Last night we were watching and describing each other our own
hidden talents, mine being really hidden, like ovulating
H's being also hidden, pelvic floor exercises...


But last night alas the fire twirlers were ranked second best
to our new friend
the Ginkgo bonsai tree
a most beautiful thing.

My friend H has had her eye on it for a while now
and she finally saved up enough money and made it her own.
The store owner , the father of succulents and carer of bonsai
looked a little sad saying good bye
for this tree is indeed a rare beauty.

This leaf broke off our friend
and she gave it to me
when I held it up to my face I actually got a rush of blood to my head
and a flutter in my heart.

Wikipedia says this:
Extreme examples of the Ginkgo's tenacity may be seen in Hiroshima, Japan, where six trees growing between 1–2 km from the 1945 atom bomb explosion were among the few living things in the area to survive the blast. While almost all other plants (and animals) in the area were destroyed, the ginkgos, though charred, survived and were soon healthy again. The trees are alive to this day.

A living fossil.