She feels his presence here
Among the tree stump
and two unused cinder blocks
That made up their own little world
in back of her
swing set
Where they used to play
Carefree, naïve, not a thought of
reality in his or her brain
She remembers all the times they played kitchen
Thecinder blocks serving as stoves
to cook their mud pies
Summer nights peacefully lying in the long,
unkempt
grass
Gazing at the stars and betting on who could catch the most fireflies
And then there was a period of time,
later in their life
When love was in the air
She presses her fingers into the grooves that they carved into the tree trunk
Their names, crookedly written
Were placed inside a single lopsided heart
It brings a tear to her eye
Which travels down
Her now wrinkly face
Until it reaches her mouth
That has been turned upward
Into a smile