El Árbol Milagroso by Katherine Durham Oldmixon
Here’s another from the Texas Poetry Calendar 2008, which won an honorable mention, and which I heard read by the author at BookPeople.
El Árbol Milagroso
By Katherine Durham Oldmixon
On the way to el árbol milagroso
the young girls told stories del otro lado
like a brush with the spirits through
a window over the washer and dryer.
Turo’s sister laughed as she drove
over vanishing pools on hot asphalt,
when unexpected a bristle of javelinas
appeared grazing the dry kiñena ditch.
Pale plastic Jesus fixed to the dash,
cardboard signs and suspicion led
past the weeping Virgin’s water tank,
past the dead snakes hung on a rail,
to a fence laced with sun-faded garlands,
to a cross studded with glinting exvotos,
guarding the Jerusalem olive tree,
bound in burlap and colored ribbons
protecting the saint from pilgrims
with pocketknives and prayers.
Mira—she led us to the shrouded trunk,
planted her ear against its skin, sighed—
oye—eyes closed. Next, inside I
listened as the waterfall laddered sky
to ground, through the live green core
so far from what we thought we knew.
Current Tea: Clarksville cordial (Indian Korakundah Estate black tea with ginger, orange, & peach)
Journey:
One hopes the sunset brings a cool breeze, a drink of water and a hand to hold.
Peace for everyone.
Thank you, Andy, one hopes a sunset brings a sense of peace, as you have always brought me. Much love, Katherine
(I was surprised to find my poem here, and happily so. Thank you; how sweet.)
Thank you both so much for commenting! I really enjoyed the reading at BookPeople. Thank you for sharing your gift with us!