earth note 471...history in short form

it's too late
to wave a protest sign
in front of george washington
but not too late
to plant three cherry trees
that won't be cut down
     damn-it
in the back on the ridge
before the cliff drops off
to the neighborhood
josh gibson struggled to live in
locked out of the big leagues
because he was black
and george washington
made up a thousand excuses
for slavery

a couple miles from here

george washington camped
near the river
claiming the water as his own
wanting an outpost
with dreams of an empire
the original people
shot down
or driven out of the valley
believe it      it happened
and it's still going on

so what about the cherry trees

they've been dwarfed from a hybrid
small but strong
in body and spirit
     where there's fruit
there's hope

--- e b bortz