Charlie
Daydream with me for a moment…
You’re outside.
Mid-morning sunlight shines on the trees, casting shadows in the grass beside you.
You’re sitting by a brick wall.
Dry grass clippings from last week’s mowing tickle your legs.
A solitary star leaf rests on the grass tips,
Its crumpled and crunched neighbors buried beneath it.
Sea urchin tree seeds poke up from the ground.
Trees.
A maple with wide leaves and porcupine seeds.
One dry, empty branch
Surrounded by green life.
A weeping birch.
Leaves cascade down in waterfalls from upcurving branches.
“La paz es una necesidad.”
Peace is a necessity,
Says a tall wooden pole beaten into the ground.
The bottom is worn from years of rain and weed whacking.
Circular designs wrap around the cube cylinder top.
The looping characters of Arabic and other languages
Carve down the other sides.
Wind rustles leaves.
Grass crunches under classmates’ feet.
Birds twitter from between feathered tree leaves along the brick wall.
Sun warms your arms
As the wall cools your back…
Take a photo of this moment
‘Cause tomorrow’s not promised, and here…
Here
Is beautiful.