The Tree

Spring arrives as teardrop buds nudge winter from the garden

Temperatures rise
Encouraging buds
To look to the sun
While emerging petals
Make a colorful debut

Summer coaxes the magnolia blossoms
their beauty on full display
white flowers pepper green leaves,
a striking contrast of life
The blossoms’ beauty fades,
Lonely leaves remain

Their fragrance drifts freely,
carried far and wide by the wind

Quiet reflection is enhanced
as shadows dance a slow waltz
on everything within its sphere

Bathed in the scent of the flowers,
we rest, eyes drifting to initials
long ago carved into the trunk of the magnolia

The peace of the garden
Invites comfort and grace

Memories surround us—
children climbing the tree,
skipping stones,
floating boats in the nearby pond,
kites flying overhead,
picnics with stories shared—
some joyful, some bittersweet.
People holding hands on the winding path.

A lifetime of memories lingers here.
the fragrance of blooming bushes,
flowers, and trees holds us in the present.

With time, the short-lived blossoms
of the magnolia tree begin to turn and curl,
and a seed pod takes their place.

The flowers—like our visit—come and go,
bringing new life,
welcoming new visitors,
ever growing, ever changing.

The garden grows, dies, and re-emerges.