Used for jelly and wine,
wild cherry syrup for coughs
from the bark, the wood
red-brown with whitish
sapwood, resistant
to decay, durable,
the small cherries are called drupes,
leave yellowed stones.
Found in oak hickory woods,
not here. I would re-arrange
the world this morning, bring
the trees walking towards me
like Orpheus or MacBeth.
Instead the words of those saw-toothed
leaves float down about me,
and a forest of silent sound swallows
the light of here and now.
Wild Transitions Contents
Post Published: 13 April 2010
Author: Carol Hamilton
Found in section:
Poetry
Carol Hamilton has recent and upcoming publications in South Carolina Review, Poet Lore, Atlanta Review, New York Quarterly, World Literature Today, Comstock Review, Sunstone, Karamu, Blue Unicorn, Sow's Ear Poetry Review, The Aurorean, Willow Review, White Pelican, Kalliope, California Quarterly, Hurricane Review, Xavier Review, Mad Poet's Review, Abbey, Midwest Quarterly Review, Lyric, Main Street Rag, Pinyon, Chiron Review, Chariton Review, Caveat Lector, and others. She was nominated five times for a Pushcart Prize. Her most recent book are Shots On and Contrapuntal from Finishing Line Press. She has won numerous awards for children's novels and poetry. She is a former Poet Laureate of Oklahoma.
Tags: Poetry, wild transitions
