Cynthia Anderson

Hideout

At the edge of my family’s land, next to a swamp overrun with wild grapes and skunk cabbage, stood a massive evergreen, a mother tree, laden with tiny cones. It wasn’t easy to climb. The branches began high off the ground. I had to stretch my arms nearly out of their sockets and push hard with my legs to scramble up. It took several tries. But once there—the quiet. The clean scent of green. A place where nothing went wrong. I held, and I was held.

checked baggage
reclaiming
my lost self

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About the Author

Cynthia Anderson has published 12 poetry collections, most recently Arrival (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions, 2023) and Full Circle (Cholla Needles Press, 2022). She has lived in California for over 40 years. See more of her work at  www.cynthiaandersonpoet.com.

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