Until I was 11 years old, my family lived in a house with a mimosa tree in the yard. Mimosa trees have smooth bark and V-shaped branching–perfect for climbing. In the mimosa’s gentle arms, I honed my tree-climbing skills and watched the world.
In summer, when pink tasseled blossoms covered the tree, the yard was a fragrant garden that smelled like a potpourri of flowers, watermelon, and sweet hard candy. Years later, that scent is still fresh in my mind and entwined with childhood memories.
A familiar scent still calls me to stop and notice, as when my dog and I walked past a mimosa tree one morning.
FRAGRANT FLIGHT
Two hummingbirds
on phantom wings
dart
and dip
amidst
a fruity floral scent
of pink
mimosa
plumes.
