Riparian Buffer

By Suzanna Schofield

Breathe in, breathe out.

Smell the roses, feel the thorns,

Embrace life for all that it is, for all that it isn’t.

Return home, realize it no longer is one,

Maybe it never was.

Wildflowers grow on the side of highways,

Pollution spills over, and yet, they grow.

Even painful memories contain joy.

Comfort is sought after.

I walk with her down this highway,

We look at the red-tailed hawks and crows,

Admiring how they watch the world,

While we watch one another.

Highways are dangerous—do not get distracted,

Please.

Stay with me.

She didn’t.

Suzanna Schofield ‘24 (ss104@wellesley.edu) learned at a young age how owls get hurt alongside roadways. If you’re driving at night, keep an eye out for wildlife! From the February 2023 issue.