Fairybook

Once upon a time, as the fairybooks say, there was a swamp along the islands guarding Miami, Fla., from the sea.

Their trunks were gnarled beyond belief, like those in fairybooks. They were covered with the cuneiform of woodpeckers and yellowhammers.

His and Gertrude's was a fairybook marriage. The fairy tale ended quickly. After a miscarriage, Gertrude Thomas winced over pregnant black women slaving under the inhuman sun.