it might appear

to be a contradiction

well at least the name

rubber and earthy

or perhaps earthy rubber

but don’t be fooled

it’s just a name

a name that seeks to describe

native to the Virgin Islands

and Puerto Rico

it is common

so common

it is sometimes called

a fan palm as its shape

is ideal to cool you

in the sweat of the day

its symmetry is pleasing

to those for whom aesthetic matters

its yellow flowers

and purple-black fruit

offer their own appeal

as they frame a house

conceal a yard with debris or

stand stately along the driveway