The task was simple.
Buy air filters and a tomato cage for my blossoming plant.
But I forgot about the siren song that would greet me
upon entering the garden section,
with its intoxicating array of flowers in bloom,
singing for me to draw near and bring them home.
I did not have the wisdom of Odysseus to prepare
for my voyage along the aisles of yellow and purple daisies,
pink snapdragons, and fuchsia dianthus.
The white and rosy cacti blooms,
beckoned, if only to be photographed.
For they shine briefly before retreating
until spring comes again.
The sweet warm air was a balm for my soul
as I took in the majestic display of flowers
before summoning the strength to leave
with just four flowering containers
to add to my assortment of
patio potted plants,
who are always ready for more company.
Tag: Inspiration
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On Visiting a Garden Shop
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If I Could Dog-Ear a Day
Title inspired by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
I’d mark the days when it was just the three of us,
sitting around the glass-top table in your cozy Florida kitchen.
Although one of five children,
for those times, I was your only child,
soaking up the sweetness of having you two all to myself.
The click, click, click of the cards as we shuffled the deck
for the many games of rummy we’d play.
Sharing stories of your life, often heard, but always enjoyed.
Mom, always bragging about being the
rummy champion on Center Street as a child,
was never a graceful loser but was always ready to start anew.
Dad holding onto his cards to get the most points in a play,
even if it meant losing big if one of us played the last card first.
These simple everyday moments are treasures
I hold onto when I miss you the most. -
Relentless Appreciation
Finding Joy After Loss
When the heart breaks open from the searing pain of
unbearable loss and the walls crumble to the ground,
the unimaginable happens:
relentless appreciation for what is left behind.
It streams from my soul with the force of a tsunami.
My love for those I meet in person and online has grown,
and I feel joy when I spend time in their presence.
My soul is filled with peace as I traverse the garden path,
captivated by the beauty of the flowering plants
and the perfumed, soaked air they create.
I watch the flying creatures with fascination as they busy themselves finding food and building homes.
I love the sound of birdsong, whether I’m wandering outside
or enjoying their symphony from inside my home.
For knowing there is but a short time
between birth and death, I breathe in deeply
all that life has to offer me. -
The Gift I Didn’t Ask For
I sat slumped on the floor,
the wrapping torn off the box.
As I reached inside,
I already knew that I didn’t want this present,
but there was a no return policy stapled to the gift.Who was the giver that would lay
such a heavy unwanted inheritance
for me to carry with me
as I wander the world for the rest of my days.The giver sits next to me,
wrapping one arm around my shoulder
as their other hand wipes away
the tears that run down my cheeks.“Dear one,” they say,
“I know that this present feels like a curse,
and you’d rather that I’d disappear with it,
leaving your world unshaken.”“But grief is interwoven with the love that preceded it
like a finely knitted sweater.
The tattered garment that you now possess
is the love that remains.”I pulled the sweater to my heart,
rubbing the holes that plague this once intact garment,
knowing that my body will learn to adjust to the chill that the holes let in,
while the rest of the sweater will warm me with your memories and love. -
Meet Me Under The Blood Moon
For Mike
I wrestled the camera onto the tripod,
preparing for the appearance of the blood red moon.
I traipsed in and out of the house,
making sure the camera base fit tightly to the stand,
gathering extra batteries so I could capture the moment
and adding layers of clothing
to keep me warm from the bitter night air.
Finally, everything was set,
and I could enjoy the celestial drama.What I found as I tilted my head upwards in between shots
was a wave of peace washing over me.
On this day when you died thirteen years ago
you felt so close in this otherworldly expanse of time and space.
As the red shadow floated next to the dazzling moon
it was like we were dancing in the sky.
And though I can no longer feel your arms around me
or hear you speak my name,
at that moment, I knew that you were somewhere,
just out of reach, watching over me from another horizon.
Beautiful Bittersweet Life Poems 