A story about odds and ends collected by Jem and Scout, found in cigar boxes years later, inspired by a photo of colorful envelopes tied together with string and left carefully in the branches of a tree in winter.

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Each season passed as the children grew.

School graduations behind the horizon now,

Jeb got married and lived at some distance.

Even the stump of the treasure-tree was gone—

but Boo was still next-door, watching over them.

Their private post office moved into the woods behind the houses,

the mailbox now a carefully selected tree branch.

Sometimes plagued by wind and rain, snow and ice,

every piece of mail was lovingly salvaged, cherished, and saved.

Boo left cards now instead of toys:

beautiful stationery left over from family mail,

or carefully un-wrinkled wrapping paper

he decorated with birds, flowers, and trees;

unicorns, hearts, and clouds; picnic baskets and fireworks;

Christmas trees, stars, angels, and even a gift-laden sleigh.

Birthday cards, too—always on his birthday

since his calendars didn’t show the children’s birthdays—

decorated with cakes and candles,

a mint or caramel taped inside

and an invisible kiss on their names on the outside.

These were tucked into the prettiest of envelopes he saved,

bundled with colorful ribbon, yarn, or string,

secured in their secret, open-air mailbox late at night.

The watchman waited behind his curtains every morning

and claimed his return mail with their letters and photos that night.

Jem passed on first. Atticus saved Jem’s letters

in a newer cigar box kept next to the original,

still filled with all the gifts from long ago.

Atticus departed next and Scout saved them all,

three boxes in an ancient trunk in an attic,

found years later by a great-grandniece who had

Scout’s own eyes, full of wonder and discovery—

and all the beauty of a mockingbird’s song.

By Ken Gosse

From: United States

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/ken.gosse/