THE HEART
By John Grey
In the oak’s hardy trunk,
a small heart remains.
It’s a paean to puppy love
cut long ago
by young unsure hands.
Now the tree
seems almost to lift
its leafy head
as I approach,
as if it recognizes me
from long ago.
The blade never harmed it.
Don’t think of it as a wound,
but a tattoo,
an innocent declaration
that weather and time
have not worn away.
In its rough, awkward outline.
it tells so much about me.
How I am amused by ancient crushes.
How I am amazed at what survives.
Bio: John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in Midnight Mind, Willow Review and the Pennsylvania Literary Journal. Latest books, “Bittersweet”, “Subject Matters” and “Between Two Fires” are available through Amazon. Work upcoming in the MacGuffin, Touchstone and Caesura.
Author’s Note: “The Heart” harks back to a more innocent time, long before young people texted their feelings. I’ve always been drawn to the idea of young lovers inscribing hearts and initials on tree trunks. It’s primitive sure but it attests to a kind of artistry of feeling. The poem reflects how I’ve often wondered if these etchings survive. And, if we ever came face to face with our handiwork, (sort of like finding an old love poem at the bottom of a drawer) how we would respond.
