by Rhianna French
Rustling trees sway along side the gravel road
Cicadas, frogs, crickets, quail
Dragonflies, fireflies, horseflies… mosquitoes
Annoying little things, now missed
The smell of rain approaching
The front porch, weathered with time and humidity
Peeling paint and creaky steps
A barn cat greets me from under the porch swing
Hummingbirds greedily fight over bird-feeder territory
Eggs, bacon, and fluffy biscuits
Browning in the oven, rising in an iron skillet, the sent caught by a
Summer breeze… the screen door slams
My Mamaw’s curly hair and glasses silhouetted against the kitchen window
She hollers out, “Breakfast is ready!”
I walk to the creek with my dad
He points at the water, outdoor lessons
Slithering swiftly, ripples on the water
“That’s a copperhead, they are venomous”
The water is cold, my toes wiggle on the rocks
We walk across a field, stopping suddenly to observe
A skunk waddles though the tall weeds, oblivious, in the distance
Lizards, wasps, gnats, roly polies
Skipping rocks, splinters, scraped knees
Failed cartwheels and ice cold sweet tea
Back in my day, life was simple
Now, I sip on my coffee, go to school, go to work
I close my eyes…
The smell of rain approaching
Leonardo Magazine 