Comment on this
article
In A Garden
by Tish Valles
On a Wednesday after school, five children play hide
and seek in Nana's garden. She is The It who chases her cousins
under the mango tree, around the pool, over the bikes.
On a Wednesday after school, Camille leaps from underneath
the avocado tree. The It lunges toward the ledge, hands gripping
stones. The fingers of her right hand slip, and everyone hears a snap.
On a Wednesday after school, the running stops.
Five cousins are scared. Scared the swollen right hand is broken
forever. Scared to play hide and go seek again.
On a Wednesday after school, an 8 year-old runs
to her Mama, cradling her broken wing, her right
hand a throbbing hide and go seek betrayal
On a Wednesday after school, a mother wraps a girl
in a blanket, whizzes her off in a green station wagon
to a hospital where purple popsicle sticks make the pain go away.
On a Wednesday after school, our garden is scared.
A stone ledge fears it has injured a girl beyond repair.
An avocado tree worries it will never be a hiding place again.
On a Wednesday in a garden, deep in the night
Willows are weeping for fear that children's feet will
never run on grass, or climb trees again.
On a Wednesday in a garden, deep in the night
little brown birds croon for a broken wing
on a girl who played hide and seek with her cousins
On a Wednesday in a garden, deep in the night
earthworms stop their digging to comfort
an avocado tree's lonely branches
On a Wednesday in a garden, deep in the night
bats cannot fly for the sorrow of a garden, her stone
ledge, lush grass, tall trees and their broken promises
On a Wednesday in a garden, deep in the night
leaves hear a stirring from a bedroom window
and a flashlight makes beams on the grass
On a Wednesday in a garden, deep in the night
bare feet graze sad grass, cold fingers touch
lonely branches as a girl wishes upon a star
Return to:
©
2001- 2012, Quill & Parchment
Productions
All
contributions are copyright of the respective authors |
