First Place: Poetry Marlborough Street Boston Marina Firman, Boonville
His parents planted the tree When they bought the little house The year he was born With small hands and big eyes He didn’t know That even then the tree protected him And hid him From the world Now he’s older He sees the tree As his lost mother She knows and soothes his grief Her bittersweet smell Her pastel petals Which she drops on the street Showing him a way out She leans in closer Reaching her wooden arms around him Her flowers falling into his hair Tickling his ears playfully His senior year, the city tells them The tree is sick She’s dying Leaving him alone again He paints her portrait Doesn’t leave his name Only his address Marlborough Street Boston
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Inscape 2020
