Spring Thaw

详细内容

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EveryAprilIambesetbythesameconcern-thatspringmightnotourthisyear.Thelandscapelooksforsaken,withhills,skyandforestformingasinglegraymeld,likethewashanartistpaintsonacanvasbeforethemasterwork.Myspiritsebb,astheydidduringanAprilsnowfallwhenIfirstcametoMaine15yearsago."Justwait,"aneithborcounseled."You'llwakeuponemorningandspringwilljustbehere."

Andlo,onMay3thatyearIawoketoagreensostartlingastobealmostelectric,asifspringweresimplyamatterofflippingaswitch.Hills,skyandforestrevealedtheirpurples,bluesandgreen.Leaveshadunfurled,goldfincheshadarrivedatthefeederanddaffodilswerefightingtheirwayheavenward.

Thentherewastheoldappletree.Itsitsonanundevelopedlotinmyneighborhood.Itbelongstonooneandthereforetoeveryone.Thetree'sdarktwistedbranchessprawlinunprunedabandon.Eachspringitblossomssoprofuselythattheairbeessaturatedwiththearomaofapple.WhenIdrivebywithmywindowsrolleddown,itgivesmethefeelingofmovinginanotherelement,likeakidonawaterslide.

Untillastyear,IthoughtIwastheonlyoneawareofthistree.Andthenoneday,inafitofspringmadness,Isetoutwithprunerandloppertoremoveafewerrantbranches.NosoonerhadIarrivedunderitsboughsthanneighborsopenedtheirwindowsandsteppedontotheirporches.ThesewerepeopleIbarelyknewandseldomspoketo,butitwasasifIhadeunbiddenintotheirpersonalgardens.

Mymobile-homeneighborwasthefirsttospeak."You'renotcuttingitdown,areyou?"AnotherneighborwincedasIloppedoffabranch."Don'tkillit,now,"hecautioned.Soonhalftheneighborhoodhadjoinedmeundertheapplearbor.ItstruckmethatIhadlivedthereforfiveyearsandonlynowwaslearningthesepeople'snames,whattheydidforalivingandhowtheypassedthewinter.Itwasasiftheoldappletreegatheringusunderitsboughsforthedualpurposeofacquaintanceshipandsharedwonder.Icouldn'thelprecallingRobertFrost's*words:

Thetreesthathaveitintheirpent-upbuds

Todarkennatureandbesummerwoods

Ohawledtoanother.JusttheotherdayIsawoneofmyneighborsatthelocalstore.Heremarkedhowthisrecentwinterhadbeenespeciallylongandlamentednothavingseenorspokenatlengthtoanyoneinourneighborhood.Andthen,recoupinghisthoughts,helookedatmeandsaid,"Weneedtopruhatappletreeagain."