And we saw the seed,
The minuscule Sequoia seed
In the museum by the tremendous slab
Of the tree. And imagined the seed
In soil and the growth quickened
So that we saw the seed reach out, forcing
Earth thru itself into bark, wood, the green
Needles of a redwood until the tree
Stood in the room without soil-
How much of the earth's
Crust has lived
The seed's violence!
The shock is metaphysical. (George Oppen)

And we saw the seed, The minuscule Sequoia seed In the museum by the tremendous slab Of the tree. And imagined the seed In soil and the growth quickened So that we saw the seed reach out, forcing Earth thru itself into bark, wood, the green Needles of a redwood until the tree Stood in the room without soil- How much of the earth's Crust has lived The seed's violence! The shock is metaphysical.

George Oppen

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bark crust earth forcing green growth minuscule museum reach redwood room saw seed sequoia shock slab soil stand tree violence wood needles

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