A Thousand Miles from Kansas

The Bittersweet Tree

One day…

I looked out into the bittersweet tree,

and two robins stared back at me.

As Autumn slowly faded, South they should go,

Winter will soon show its lifeless face of snow.

Again on another day…

I looked out into the bittersweet tree,

the same robins, but now they looked back at me.

As Autumn became Winter they continued a romance,

until their very last retreat from Winter’s solemn dance.

And today…

I looked out into the bittersweet tree,

and it was empty – the robins spread wing to flee.

As I peered into barren branches, snow began to fall

and loneliness crept into my soul.

© 2019 Gregory Vessar

*Published in the Kansas State Poetry Society’s quarterly publication Sunflower Petals.  Volume IV, No. 4, Summer 1989

Author’s Note:

I wrote “The Bittersweet Tree” in 1988. It was always a favorite of my Grandmother’s. It was published in the quarterly magazine Sunflower Petals back in 1989. The poetry magazine was published by the Kansas State Poetry Society. I have revised it a few times since that first publication, but it is still pretty true to my original composition. I hope you enjoy my poem.