today in mango trees

to borrow a page from t.s. eliot 
'i have measured my life 
(better, 
am measuring my minutes), 
in mango trees' 

in the rungs on the ladder, 
the ups and downs 
and the top;

both feet steady,
with a pool net reaching outward 
and two hands ready below; 

in catching, 
in missing, 
in picking up the pieces
and harvesting what remains whole; 

in a sunday afternoon, 
in the friend who stuck around,
in remembering 
and the joy it gives  

today