Higher in the sky
my father climbs the maple tree
behind his mother’s house
climbing to the very top
he believes he is a boy again
from a higher perspective
he sees a horse with wings
grazing in a meadow outside of town
he calls for his mother to see
but his mother doesn’t hear him
she is in the kitchen baking pies
& preserving fruit for the winter
my father falls from the tree
landing on his feet like a cat
he saunters off in search of the horse
with wings grazing in a meadow
my father walks out of town carrying
a bunch of carrots
back home his mother is ringing the dinner bell
mounting onto the back of the horse
my father cannot hear the kitchen bell
before long he is climbing higher in the sky
november two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 
This is beautiful, John. From the beginning line to the last word. I like the rhythm and voice…just a really really good poem.
Thank you very much, Kathleen.
i could see this poem as i read it. magical.
How excellent, thank you!