Plum Trees

The blossoming plums are a comforting sight,

they understand I am heavy with wine 

– Chiang K’uei 

do you recall 

when I planted plum trees

to the east of our home

and dusk promised us 

a life still  

as a Chinese scroll

yet later in darkness

I turned away

and seemed to sleep

so many winters 

my head heavy

my plum trees gone