local_library Our Fig Tree

by R L Swihart

Published in Issue No. 290 ~ July, 2021

For $30 the wispy thing (needing constant support from a stick

of bamboo) seemed like a middle-class ticket

to paradise

 

*

 

Living in California, we never thought deciduous. But in late fall,

when the leaves started to drop, we first thought dead (dying)

and then did our research

 

*

 

It looked dead all winter, but we had hope for spring. From March

through April, it was a crescendo of green. Twice as many

leaves (fat green hands) as the day we bought it

 

*

 

May 5th (Ida’s name day): the second yellow hand fell to the ground

and the terminal buds had a brownish tip. The man at Sanford’s

looked at the pic and said: “Probably several things. It’s been

a cold spring. Drill holes in the bottom of the pot — the roots

need to drain. And here’s some Epsom salt.

Good luck”

 

 

 

 

account_box More About

R L Swihart was born in Michigan but now resides in Long Beach CA. His work has sparsely dotted both the Net and hardcopy literary journals (e.g., Cordite, Pif Magazine, Denver Quarterly, Quadrant Magazine, Salt Hill Journal). His third book of poetry was released July 2020: Woodhenge.