Alpine Park

Our children’s laughing voices animated the alpine air. The scene was a park carved from a forest for a clearing. We took them there for the swings—and a fanciful bear. 'Twas burnt summers ago, when we were child-rearing. One autumn noon when shadows are like thoughts—long My wife and I resolved to revisit our family’s alpine retreat. Swings were gone, but “Higher, Daddy!” echoed as a song And so did “I’m hungry, Mom, when will it be time to eat?” We breathed deeply, sighed sadly, mulling vanished years And asking anew if we did all we could to raise them right. But the idyllic scene that encompassed us calmed our fears And every nagging doubt was laid to rest that autumn night.