as though a small town
beauty pageant winner
paraded through
local roads
tossing sweet petals
like fist-fulls of candy
from her seat perched high above
this fragrant litter
purged in layers
as the Catalpa tree
with its divinely
designed
heart-shaped leaves
plainly remains
an organic shade
for the neighbor's
ratty shed
.
This is a poem I began to write 7 years ago in Massachusetts ! I realized this tree also existed in my neighbor's back yard where I live now about 2 years ago , a truly delightful discovery.The shape of this tree was different and that had thrown me, in identifying it.One day my nose was clear enough to smell the flowers on the stepping stones on my way to the car and the fragrance catapulted me back to that big tree in New England.