Margaret Roman
Look up!
In this arbor flooded with white
the sun dances its dazzle
among the entanglement of branches
and sashaying wisps of green
a sideways glance beyond a main artery
where children might have clambered up
swinging their legs in tuneful ease
Below the massive trunk unseen persists
girded with smoky lichen and evergreen moss
stumps of dead limbs hewn by the saw
in the racket of diminishment
the girth withstanding gashes and lashes
of disease and insects and weathering
while leaves above play the memories of other
sunny times when walkers strolled below
sipping rose hip tea and talking of sweet red bee balm
not thinking this ordinary summer day of visits and lunches
would fade away as they swayed up the stone stairs
back to the hilltop house of fading breaths and lost limbs
in this brilliant light bleaching