The Peppermint Tree

Somewhere far south-east

Far from the city of noise and light

A tiny town lies on a highway crease

With seven streetlamps like stars in the night

Somewhere hidden amongst the salmon gums

That line up the dusty gravel road

With its leaves that fall like crumbs

A peppermint tree’s branches flow

Somewhere stranded on a leaf. 

A memory remains from long ago

It could be a memory of grief

Or one waiting to grow

Somewhere in old whispers of the tree

You can hear children’s voices

Talking about how they grazed their knee

Or laughter as they rejoice

Somewhere in the emerging green

You can hear a group of girls squealing about a kiss

The peppermint tree watched us grow from child to teen

That peppermint tree I truly do miss.