Growth Ring
come let’s sit
on the front porch
in pink morning air
savor coffee
closeness
hands-over-brows
we’ll face east
watch lavender clouds rise
over rooftops
kiss tips of tall trees
then we’ll set our cups
down on the table
we’ll sand layers
long lacquered
peel off
varnished veneers
down to circles
patterns
of light
and dark grain
expose blankets
of root beds
burls borne
from breakage
and a map of the seasons
we grew without rain