poem at five
look, look at how
the mimosa tree
sheds its skin
upon his own,
just like snowflakes.
gaze, gaze upon
the railroad ties
that encircle
the vegetables, soil,
and leaning flowers.
walking between the raised rows,
a boy once stood lost in his garden.
growing,
set eyes upon how we grow,
just like the green beans
and tomatoes do
in the dirt where his feet
are planted deep,
like roots.
watch, watch him grieve
as the summer slowly ends.
autumn sets in,
and that sweet essence leaves
those dying branches and trees.
thoughts of the fruitless garden
race through his mind.
the young boy waits to see
what he will plant
in seasons to come.
…..
“poem at five,” was originally published in the journal BEATIFIC, and can be found in the chapbook
Restland by Nicholas Barnes (Finishing Line Press) at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/restland-by-nicholas-barnes/
Nicholas (Cole) Barnes is a poet living in Portland, Oregon. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Southern Oregon University in 2019. His work has appeared in over seventy American and international publications including Barzakh, Cola Literary Review, Eclectica Magazine, Juked, and trampset. Restland is his debut chapbook.
The Paddock Review 