House-Warming Party (a poem)

Floods of memories slap me
as I walk the neighborhood,
epiphanies connect obscure
stars in my mind’s galaxy –

birds chirp, my feet patter on paths
amid tree-lined streets and greenery
of springtime,
the earth changing, imperceptibly,
preparing to host summer
like a house-warming party –

it’s as if I’ve never seen these trees before,
or smelled fresh-cut grass,
or overheard neighbors
talk about their favorite records
on a cool day –

it’s as if I were a child, asking why,
pointing to these trees
asking them:
“Which kind are you, sir?”
“How long have you been here, ma’am?”

(Photo by Michel Rossier on Unsplash)