the peaches ripen now
the beginning of summer
we work fast
to protect what we can of this small
crop from a single tree
trimming back
the branches
where they encroach
on the neighbor’s roof
covering it with a net
in an attempt
to keep birds and
rats and squirrels
[all the same genus as far
as i am concerned when
it comes to this tree]
from making short work of
the fruit
picking a handful
that are ripe
or almost there
eating a single
peach while on the ladder
holding it in my work gloves
and biting into the soft flesh
not caring how the juice runs down
my chin or glistens on my leather fingers
tossing the pit into the open can
and thinking that i’ve never
tasted a peach that good
and knowing it may be
the sun [browning my neck]
doing the talking
Words and Feathers 