While stepping on
carefully placed stones
on an errand
in the garden
of my hours,
my eyes scour
either side of the path,
spotting weeds
and winter chores
waiting for me.
Sometimes a surprise,
like strawberry flowers
for Christmas.
It's raining and dark
but the rooster is crowing
knowing the light will come.
There was a large moon
even waning it looked full
but now the rooster crows.
There will be light soon
the rain will fall everywhere
on the garden.
The plants will grow.
The rooster will crow.
Why don't people like roosters?
I love to hear the rooster crow.
I know he's being he
and I'm being me
and there will be light
because the rooster is crowing
knowing that the light will come.
My garden draws me into its minute details
derails my attempts to prevail with straight lines
or orderly arrangements, continually demanding
my engagement. The weeds are overgrown into
the path again. The bees, butterflies, biting ants
demonstrate business just like me, finding
sustenance in the flowers until their last hours.
The dragon breathes her last gusts of fire into
the approaching winter. She will hibernate
with the first frost and I too will curl up and dream.
I searched for good dirt in the compost with my shovel.
I hoed two empty garden beds and made rows.
With my trowel I made holes for garlic bulbs in the beds,
and buried tulip and daffodil bulbs in my pots and kitchen boxes.
With my imagination I see so much more than dirt.
I pray that we will all rise toward the sun come spring,
and the world will be more beautiful.
My cat is no help in the garden.
He doesn't warn me when ants crawl up my pants.
He doesn't know a weed from a seed.
He sleeps while I sweat and sweat.
He wants to play and I shoo him away
before he attacks me with his claws
and snaps his jaws.
My cat doesn't love me.
He loves my hat.
my shadow will loom long when they come.
wasps in the lavender bushes will strike out angrily.
fire ants will crawl up their pants.
the bees and the mantid in the dragon breath will be disturbed.
the mint will cover the tangled strawberries
and the groundcover will be hiding
asparagus spears ready for harvest.
She told me to slow down and think about the consequences of my actions. I protested that there are many urgent matters that need to be prioritized. She answered that meditation would save me a lot of time in the long run.
free spirit untold unnamed unheard no claim to knowing being known
