Member-only story
American Sycamore
Apr 6, 2022
It is a ghostly obelisk of a tree,
breathless among the paused
leafless gray soldiers of the forest.
Post and water oaks, shagbark
and mockernut hickories, red and
chalkbark maples, and silverbells.
So many trees hold up the cobalt
southern sky.
White on white echoes through
the Georgia woods in January
and the visual music pulls my eyes
back to the solitary sycamore, trunk
shedding a few last puzzle pieces
of elderly taupe bark.
Forty-nine years ago I met the
companion who now walks beside
me on the trail — today we are
the wrinkled, white-barked, trees
of the town.
Trouvaille Review 3 April 2022
