My deepest heart
resides a little more
than a 100 yards
north of my childhood
home

A cow pond made
catfish pond turned
over to the wilds of
deer, and ‘coons, and bats
The Pond

Father planted trees
before I was born
my sisters’ were tall
by the time I
was a child

I could talk to the fish
they would come as I
called, or heard my
grandfather, rattle pellets
of food

When I was six
the school gave me
my own tree, we
planted it up at
The Pond 

After years of stunted
growth, deer damaged,
we gave up, bought
new trees to plant
instead

My nieces’ trees grew
strong, bold like they
Mine died, diseased
but taller than at six
at sixteen

I put up a hammock,
brought boys I loved
to watch the stars
see the sunset, glimpse
my heart

The trees would listen
give refuge, pond reflecting
my window to the sky
to the world 

Those trees still grow
Space echoes
rustles in like the wind
We’ve all grown older
now.