About Acacias

Acacia trees are most commonly found in Africa’s savannas.
   They stand alone, upright, tall, and 
leafy, casting shade on giraffes—an escape of noonday
   Serengeti heat. The darkness of the 
wood contrasts sharply against the wide, green leaves that
   photosynthesize eagerly in the brutal 
African sun; light courses through their stringy veins. Their branches
   have thorns, two inches 
long. When they shed, it is impossible to walk near them. The thorns
   pierce shoes like lions’ 
teeth pierce the necks of baby gazelles. Weaver birds weave homes
   amongst the tops, avoiding 
thorns, making shelter where shelter shouldn’t be made. After the
   rainy season, the trees 
produce small flowers, bright yellow like the papyrus warbler.
   When the flowers are fried, they 
taste of honey. That night, you really wanted those honey flowers,
   so I decided to brave the 
thorns. You didn’t notice my speckled, red feet.