valentine

several years ago my amazing son ian drew his heart

his woods

his love

maybe because he was raised next door to woods

and was babysat by a grandfather maple

and played with his sister

climbing trees,

tasting sap-weeping sugar maples in march,

and now borrows wood bits, old and new,

to carpenter into useful

and beautiful

things.

we would do well to remember how rooted our hearts are

in this woods

all our woods,

this world.

please, be mine.