north fifth street poem #22
the stump’s base two yards across and
hollow a few inch circle of live growth
supporting the most majestic leafy
crowned tree in our neighborhood
it had to go every storm huge limbs
crashed down I watched its demise
but left before the saw found the
raccoons habiting its core four
hastened away to seek new homes
in enos park the fifth maimed by
the unknowing blade had to be
killed I’m glad critters live hidden
on fifth street maybe raccoons are
already in my trees maybe the four
displaced dispersed will find dens in
my hollow trunks they’ll be welcome
©2016 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Sep 15-21, 2016.
