Old George crawled each morning
Still half-asleep, to the foot of the tree
that rose outside the churchyard-
Where the path curved through the shade.
The tree with carvings in its bark,
Of love.
He’d lift his old army hat,
Smiled at the passersby
who chose the roadway,
Not the street-
His arm like the tree bark, with carvings
Of war.
I remember him lying against the roots,
A mass of contorted clothes,
grey hair like a bird’s nest
giving out a strong whiff of cheap wine.
Strange markings on his arm,
In ink.
Then the winter came sooner.
Under the tree
where Old George used to sleep
a mound of snow appeared.
The bark veiled in snow,
In white.
Patricia Furstenberg is a Romanian historical fiction, contemporary and children’s books author who resides in South Africa. With 17 books behind her, Patricia penned the bestseller Joyful Trouble, page-turner Silent Heroes, beloved children’s literature The Cheetah and the Dog, new release Transylvania’s History A to Z: 100 Word Stories.