Under the Shade of Trees

--- Under the Shade of Trees You sat with me under the shade of trees, Where time dissolved in dappled gold and green. The leaves, like whispers, trembled in the breeze, And all the world was softer, unseen. Your voice, a melody the wind could weave, So light it barely brushed the waiting air, Yet every word made dormant dreams believe That joy was something we could cup and share. The sunlight traced the edges of your face, A fleeting brush of warmth, a transient glow, While shadows stretched in slow, embracing grace— As if they feared the hour we might go. We spoke of things too fragile for the day, Of roots that grip the earth yet reach for sky, Of how the brightest blooms will fade away, Yet leave their scent to haunt the passerby. The evening came—a thief in purple hues— To steal the gold the afternoon had spun. But still, the trees stood witness, sworn and true, To hold the memory of all we’d done. And though the path has wound through distant years, Through storms that shook the boughs where we once leaned, I close my eyes—the laughter still appears,