the green grassland shelters scarce species
a playground teems with kids playing games
the baseball diamond beckons young players
a memorial remembers her name

the grasshopper sparrow is protected
moms push their babes in the swings
a loud crack of the bat is heard
in the distance the meadowlark sings

kids scamper over the jungle gym
the ball escapes the glove
a small snake slithers through tall grasses
nearby there are little girls in love

the runner is rounding the bases
a vole peeks out from his hole
merry go round and round
home plate is his ultimate goal

the red tail hawk circles up yonder
a boy climbs up a rope
the throw to home plate is too late
and there will always be reason to hope

in memory of SARAH JEAN ROY

~

The other day I visited one of my favorite parks and I found myself inspired.
The park is called “Cemetary Fields” because it is the site of a future cemetary.
Now it is used for recreational purposes; youth sports such as soccer, la crosse and baseball are played on the fields. There is also a large area of native grasslands set aside to protect the endangered “grasshopper sparrow”.

Additionally the parents of a little girl who died of a rare illness built a wonderful kid’s playground at the park as a memorial to their daughter, Sarah Jean Roy.