William Flemer’s pear trees still grace the wall of the Garden Theater,
With their silhouettes projected there by the warm early rising sun,
As if through a classic Persian carpet, onto a Morven yellow stucco wall,
Above an argillite stone foundation, from Margerum’s Quarry nearby.
And, all around Vandeventer, it’s quiet as often it is on most holidays,
Except under our river birch tree where at an old wooden bird feeder,
The game is on between some squirrels, doves, blue jays and sparrows,
With all of them acting is if there might only be one great champion, yet,
All of them are actually rewarded for being-there playing in the game.
Even the river birch above them seems to enjoy being-there where it is,
With the squirrels chasing each other all around its stalks and its limbs,
Knocking off the lantern flies that had recently arrived from China, while
Using the branches as if they were highways to get down to the feeder.
None of those here on this street should be considered “invasive species”,
And especially not the pear trees, which are the glory of our Vandeventer.
Come see for yourself what’s now missing from the walls on Witherspoon,
Not to mention the blossoms in springtime, that drew us there all year
— James W. Firestone
Firestone is a Princeton native who owned Firestone Real Estate for 25 years, and now writes poetry of place around the greater Princeton region. I knew Mr. Flemer, who created these pear trees, and I even complimented him next to the Garden Theater.
