The Pumpkin Tree
A Tribute to my D. C. neighbors, the Hessels, with apologies to A.E.Houseman!
Loveliest of trees the pumpkin now,
Is hung with orange along the bough,
And stands quite close to Rock Creek Park,
Where Hessels watch from dawn to dark!
Now of my fourscore years and ten,
Eighty will not come again,
And take from ten still left — at most,
Just add it up: my life is toast!
But even as I groan and wheeze,
And limp about on aging knees,
I still can laugh long as I please,
And watch the Hessel’s Pumpkin Trees!
With apologies to A.E. Houseman:
https://poets.org/poem/loveliest-trees
and see:
https://poemanalysis.com/a-e-housman/loveliest-of-trees/
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