Waqwaq Tree, by Hannah Grace Greer

Waqwaq tree illustration, Kitab al-Bulhan. by Abdul Hasan al-Isfahani (Persia) 14th century

​Waqwaq Tree

Floating along the Pacific and among the jade encrusted waters lies the island of Zamini. From this island, if you are willing to journey a little further for a worldly wonder, a smaller island lies just behind the smoothest peak. From there, it shouldn’t be too long until you stumble on the Waqwaq, your path carved by palms.

When you see the Waqwaq you’ll know, you may even hear its name, the sound of the ‘w’ whishing through the air from ripe lips, across the island as other travelers before you have. The tree’s blossoms are women. Different colors of skin and hair but it is known all their bodies are the same, breasts and vulva. They dangle by their necks, tree branches maintaining the tight grasp, and when you first see it, it might be quite frightening. You must remember, however, that if cut loose from the tree, the women die. It takes two days, and it is quite terrible with foaming at the mouth, hallucinations, and massive dehydration. 

I must warn you though that some have successfully escaped from the tree’s confines. So, the time to visit the tree is now. It is unknown how they do it. I was visiting once, as is my monthly ritual, and a male traveler was once put in place of a woman! Now if one goes missing it is most common to see steel lilies hanging from the branch that used to hold their necks, the lily curiously matching the weight of a body.   

Hannah Grace Greer

Hannah Grace Greer is a disabled writer and poet who loves trees, baking, philosophy, religion, and mythology. She is originally from Pennsylvania and is currently studying creative writing at the University of Iowa. Her work has been published in Eye to the Telescope, Bridge Eight Press, The Broadkill Review, and elsewhere. You can find her @hannahggpoetry on twitter and instagram.