Home Place

“You say you went back there?  How did it look?
They’ve planted peach trees, as we wanted to,
Outside the kitchen window, dammed the brook,
And screened the porch? I wonder how they knew
To do all that!  We talked about it so
And planned just how to fix things when we could
I guess he almost couldn’t help but know
From living in the house.  Well, well, that’s good.
It’s nice to know they’ve realized all our wishes.
I know that woman does her housework well
Looking at peach blooms while she dries the dishes.
I only hope they never have to sell.
Go look at it myself?  Well, no.  Somehow
I couldn’t say good-bye again—not now.

–From Because It’s Here (written in 1949)