Over the course of the 37 years we have lived in this house, many trees have come and gone in the backyard. But one has remained constant – the flowering cherry that stands outside our back patio door. The perfect climbing tree, it housed a home-made fort and was christened “The Bat Tree” when the kids were small (and Batman was popular). It has been home to countless birds, squirrels, and insects, survived the fall of large branches blown down in windstorms, and even refused to give up when a large pine sheared off about a fourth of it as it came crashing through our porch roof. Through it all, our cherry tree has been a constant companion.
As poetry month winds down, and the cherry blossoms start to open, I thought this would be the perfect time to honor my constant companion with a poem I wrote several years ago. One afternoon I just sat and observed the tree, recording what I saw and how I felt, and remembering. You can read more about my process here.
“Ode to a Cherry Tree”
Rough and gnarled
Mottled
Scarred from a lifetime of protecting
Offering shelter, shade, and hope…
A constant companion.
As poetry month winds down, and the cherry blossoms start to open, I thought this would be the perfect time to honor my constant companion with a poem I wrote several years ago. One afternoon I just sat and observed the tree, recording what I saw and how I felt, and remembering. You can read more about my process here.
“Ode to a Cherry Tree”
Rough and gnarled
Mottled
Scarred from a lifetime of protecting
Offering shelter, shade, and hope…
A constant companion.
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