The Trees Between

Jesse Doiron

October 27, 2020

Two tall trees meet over the yards beside

the road between the Wellborns’ house and ours.

They greet each other’s leaves without much in

the way and not an angry word about 

who’s sucked the most of rain last spring, nor have

I ever heard them bicker over fall –

Why would they?  Though winters come and go, they

know they never will.  They’re trees – and healthy ones

at that.  They’ll live a longer time right where 

they are than will the Wellborns’ cat.  Of course,

for them, there is no other way beside

the road.  For years, they’ve shared the birds, but

neither of them takes offense at who’s ahead

in nests.  They keep the numbers hidden deep.

You’d have to cut them down to count, and then

they both would say it matters not, so let

the other stand ahead.  They’re like as not

to brag or boast about such things as birds 

or rings. Perhaps it’s that that helps them get

along so well; while we, the Wellborns and 

my own, argue over odds and 

ends.  They hate us almost as much as we

hate them.  But trees between the houses like

the place, nod neighborly each day, shake hands

and wave and trade the wind.  You’d look across

the road and call us all good friends, if you 

did not know well the Wellborns – or for the

sake of argument – us as well as them.

Jesse Doiron teaches English in state and federal prisons.  Some are institutions of higher learning.  Others are not. He voted in person on the first day possible in Texas.