Photo: Flickr–labeled for non-commercial reuse. The oldest pepper tree in California
Wishing
Stretch out with me,
beneath my peppertree.
Tickle, caress and coax
memories dormant within
to bring forth the scent of
peppertree-peace and youth-
full, joy-filled moments.
Our world craves love—
the love of a child who sees
beyond dross. Sunlight
dapples us with warmth.
A second poem for dVerse Quadrille where we use the word PEPPER in a poem of exactly 44 words, excluding title. I grew up in a home with a peppertree. As a child I used to hide in its wonderful branches.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
this is just so beautiful. so much heart placed inside these words.
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How nice to relate back to those carefree days of growing up!
Hank
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Love this part:
the scent of
peppertree-peace and youth-
full, joy-filled moments.
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Like others, I have never heard of a pepper tree.
I tried to look it up and it seems the whole Anacardiaceae genus in the family of flowering trees called sumac or cashew are pepper trees.
Coaxing memories from that tree is interesting — is it a tree in your area? And the image of a child who sees beyond dross is wonderful.
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It was a tree in my childhood home. I still go there in my imagination at times.
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Loved that.
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Your pepper tree bears the scent of another fabled tree and that of “the love of a child who sees / beyond dross.” More here than meets the eye.
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What a gentle, lovely invitation. Yes, please.
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I liked the description of “love” as seeing “beyond dross”.
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Love the imagery, Victoria
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Oh this is lovely!❤️
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Wonderful, a pepper tree! We have a bay tree in our garden but I don’t remember ever seeing a pepper tree, although they must have one a Kew Gardens. I like the connotation of ‘tickle’ – nose tickling, leading to a sneeze – and the way the scent of the pepper tree evokes ‘peace and youth-full, joy-filled moments’. The ending is so peaceful, Victoria..
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I love any tree… for me it was a chestnut tree. But the same experience of playing there.
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Peppertrees produce the spice not the kind in my photo…for those who have never had the chance to enjoy them.
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I haven’t experienced a pepper tree but this sounds lovely. I like how you coax memory to ‘bring forth the scent of peppertree-peace’ .
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I’m not familiar with pepper trees but this is lovely wishing!
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Oh….I want to be here! Under this pepper tree. This is beautiful!!! 🙂
And I must say again, I think I’ve told you before, I LOVE the iris at the top of your blog.
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I probably told you it is a photo from our garden that David took. I used it for the cover of my first novel.
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There really is a pepper tree? OK, I found it. Sounds like a peaceful place, need that today
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