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SMALL GREEN FRUIT
©By Russ
Two woodpeckers were making a
racket in the pine tree next door.
When I went outside to see
what the noise is all about,
I discovered that they were
mating. And for a moment I
felt like a small child caught
peeking in a neighbor's window.
I left them in them peace and
returned my work in the house.
The ceiling now has a long
rectangular hole where a
section has been cut out. When
the final cut was made,
everything dropped with a bang.
And though it has taken half a
day to do what I used to do in
half an hour I am pleased with
what I’ve done.
Cleaning up has laid claim
to the rest of my day.
Wasp nests, now just chunks of
crumbling dried mud, lay
scattered across the floor,
mingled with cobwebs, sawdust,
and blown-in insulation, which
now covers every surface inside.
That small bit of work has left
me sweat soaked and covered
with dust.
With legs wobbling, and gasping
for breath, I head back out, onto
the porch and into the fresh air.
The blossoms on the pear tree are
dirty brown, but a closer look
shows me that the miracles of
life are still unfolding.
Tiny green fruit, the size and color
of green peas, are growing where
each flower was. And I take this as
a sign that the fits and starts of
rebuilding Em’s cabin will also bear
fruit. Albeit at a much slower pace.
Russ
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