Charleston poem

Palimpsest of history—layer over layer—
The heart of Charleston remains

In green and blooming antebellum plantation gardens
On the edge of town
In sweet tea savored on a porch

Walking past an open brick building holding a bazaar

Ebony women stoop on the ground weaving roses from palm leaves; baskets from branches
Singing while they work
Singing as the warm salt sea breeze rolls in off the ocean—rustling the palm branches on the trees

Shops and restaurants housed in pre-revolutionary buildings
Echo with laughter and jazz saxophone blues
As the scent of sea food wafts in from the crab shacks

The sound of life in the city—

Here in Charleston, even time is a time apart—
Charleston, circumscribed and magical, a city all its own

A palimpsest

reach deep, reach deep