"If You Build It" by Alexandra Goodwin

 – I feasted on the details of their plumage.

This was a private paradise of ponds, water fountains, turtles, parrots, and goldfish.

Alexandra Goodwin was born in Argentina, and she divides her time at home in Florida between her imaginary tree house in her mango tree and her pool, unless there is a hurricane. Her essays and poems can be found in Ariel Chart, The Centifictionist, Loch Raven Review, Stick Figure Poetry Quarterly, The Miami Herald, Twists and Turns, and Lost and Found. This is her third story in the Personal Story Publishing Project. Visit www.alexandragoodwin.com for more information about her and her work.

Author’s Talk

Alexandra Goodwin writes in a second language

Coming from a metropolitan city like Buenos Aires, where I was born, I found it hard to adjust to the tropical, provincial pace of Florida. When I landed here 40 years ago, I felt the contrast between the multicultural customs of Miami, the easygoing, carefree lifestyle of Miami Beach, and the European elegance of Buenos Aires. My birthplace had class. But Miami had pizzaz, summer year-round, and hurricanes. At first, we lived in a condominium right on the beach, walked for miles before the sun rose, swam in the waves, fed the seagulls. But when reality came knocking, we were thrust into the monotony of suburban life. The beach was relegated to sporadic escapades every so often. 

Now, four decades later, my husband and I considered spending our retirement years living on the beach. We’ve imagined spotting fins of passing dolphins, watching the seagulls fight for breadcrumbs, and floating in the green transparency of the water. But for many reasons, at least for now, we are making do with what we have. Coming to terms with this, I discovered our backyard can be just as magical, if not more, than the sand and the ocean. Since then, our yard has become a hidden sanctuary for all kinds of birds, iguanas, and beautiful butterflies. We do bird watching as we sip our morning coffee and spend weekends creating habitats for more species as they get displaced from their home in the Everglades due to the encroaching greed of the developers! We have created a sanctuary for us and for them, and learned that if you build it, they will come. Sooner or later.—Alexandra Goodwin