Midway,
\nthrough the heat of summer,
\nI determined to thin
\nthe wisteria vine off my porch.
\nIts flowering had mimicked
\nthe purple grapes in weeks
\nto come, swelling with the
\njuices of the sun, rain,
\nand heat,
\nteasing the languor
\nof a summer nap waking
\nto the tart sweetness of wine.<\/p>\n
I worked quickly in the
\nhot temperature, clipping out
\nthe shade,
\nthe smell of chlorophyll,
\nthe green foliage,
\nhostels for mites and insects,
\nand almost finished,
\nI hesitated at a remaining
\ncluster of leaves.
\nThere are presences
\nin everything we do,
\nhesitations,
\nhunches that tell us
\nto stop,
\nproceed with care.<\/p>\n
I paused and laid my clippers
\ndown, and like a still house
\ninviting a peek into its shadows
\nI parted the leaves,
\nand was excited to see
\na beautifully constructed nest
\nwith two speckled eggs.
\nIt had barely escaped my pruning.
\nRetreating, I rearranged
\nthe shelter of the vine
\nand left it in peace.<\/p>\n
For several weeks I watched
\nthe care of the birds,
\nas the eggs hatched and the young
\nwere sheltered and fed
\nuntil one day they were gone,
\nand I felt a continuance in them
\nlike a little death exchanged
\nfor the beauty of their living.
\nLife, one of me and us, forever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Midway, through the heat of summer, I determined to thin the wisteria vine off my porch. Its flowering had mimicked the purple grapes in weeks…<\/p>\n