Peach Trees

by Peggy Pond Church

Do not hurry past this orchard too quickly

Saying: Yes, surely that is a beautiful thing.

As though the moment of flaming were the

purpose of this orchard

Accomplished now that your all-claiming eyes

have seen it.

Remember that before these trees were ever planted,

A thin, small, unprotesting beast of burden

Dragged a curved plough through the reluctant earth,

With a man stooping behind in the hot sun to

guide it.

Remember a wide ditch had to be dug here

to coax the river

Up the dry, stubborn flanks of these hills, a

long time barren,

And that a woman, ageless as the brown hills are ageless,

Hoed the difficult earth about the young roots planted,

And dreamed, before ever the slender branches had budded,

Of yellow fruit spread to the sun in her dooryard

in autumn.

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