Can You Hold Onto a Peach

In the winter of my years, stands my barren tree Its leaves stripped by autumnal winds Against hope, it had one life left to give I blew a warm breath into a lone branch Hoping against hope, I stood transfixed As spring approached, I beheld a bud I cupped it in my hands frozen in wonder I watched its growth in amazement The spring sun came, and I saw it change I began to miss the bud growing to a calyx It’s pinkness unfurled with relentlessness Observe, readers, a dress wrapped inside a bud I coveted this awakened bud blossoming I shielded it against summer's onslaught But, toiling bees siphoned its very nectar Its chiffon gown blown off by the solstice I held on to my once bud defrocked Miracles abound in nature if you have time Even now, I hold on to that childlike bud Knowing it will grow past adolescence Still holding tight, I saw its fruit maturing Week by week it no longer needs my hands A fruit was being born minute by seconds It ripened on the fragile twig despite hands I remembered when it was a babe in my palms Now, it grows fat and juicy tempting to fall I learned to let go giving to gravity It was never mine and never still It grows larger than my hand will hold That peach is growing hairs without restraint Its stem strains against that barren tree It will fall off the tree and grow legs It will run off to college leaving me in debt It will find a girlfriend and make seedlings My little seed must tell hands to let go My barrenness will then be my reward The tree and I will be left alone At times the peach will text or call I will wonder if that fruit is all right I hope the endeared pit will find fertile soil I hope my Persian plum will come and visit Me and my barren tree are exhausted My winter has no more spring left in me Knowing a peach was born is enough Hope will sprout far from this barren tree With blossoms bursting like candy stars