The Orchard

Lines written upon the return to the Orchard

A year has passed �" and what a year tis been
With such a long winter, but I can hear
The crickets still, they sung us a farewell
As we parted ways on that gorgeous night.
Stars above gave us enough light to see,
Yet enough to hide �" Oh, such a child's game!
The trees held us closely and goosebumps formed
On a winter's night disguised as summer,
And upon such remembrance, I am swooned
Into the memories of what once was.
Many would've been hesitant and shy,
You and I together found peace that night
In the soothing breeze that ran through the field
And raised the hairs on the backs of our necks.

The irony! For now the trees are gone
And the Orchard abandoned, leaving not
One single spot for you and I to hide
From not only friends, but reality.
You told me there was no preventing it,
But the scene before me fills me with pain
And not the deep warmth of which I long for.
It saddens me; this Orchard, now useless,
No longer serving purpose to Nature,
Whether it be Her might to provide food
Or Her ability to shelter life.
It's a place lacking that still, sad music.
I'm at a loss for words, but suddenly
Flashbacks of us relaxing side-by-side 
Appear like ghosts amongst the emptiness;
The picture revives my mind once again.

I see you returning to the Orchard
In my mind, long after I've departed
To a seemingly far and distant town,
Where I will be denied Nature's comfort
And the cool breeze Her presence provides.
You will sit upon the stump of the tree
That once held us and you will imagine
What I imagined upon my return.
Hold that vision close, let it be your guide.
When you're grieving, the Orchard's memory
Will restore you to that cold summer night.
Let the blades of grass dance on your ankles,
For it will be moments like these that I
Will not be able to experience
Any longer. The Orchard's memory
Is now performing that music for us.
Nature will ease us through this tragic loss.
Together we'll transcend the Orchard's death.

Author's Note

This poem is a play off of William Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey," using the same format and similar themes.