From A Seed To A Flower
Honking geese
Rule the yard like royalty
Pretty, calm, meandering, beauties –
Fluffy white feathers deceive
One step too close,
Ear-splitting honks,
Charging beasts, beaks wide
Sentries on guard alerted
A simple walk turns to chaos
Kids screaming, running, scattered
Searching for the safest path
Memories flood back –
A rear-end collision with a strong beak
The mark of royalty left “behind”
Crossing the yard demands a fee:
You’ll pay your toll in the end
Rays of sunshine
Beat on the tree
Sunlight weaves its way
Forming patterns on the grass
The largest sunlit patch
A tanning bed for the dog
His owner rests on the bench
Watching people enter the park
A yellow disc on his lap
Waiting for the perfect time
To engage the dog in fun
His eye catches her approach
Stepping from the bench
A whistle wakes the dog
With a flick of his wrist
The disc soars
The game has begun
Across the way, she enters
Her daily visit to pamper the garden
She kneels to tend newly grown weeds
A flash of fur catches her eye
Her gaze remains on the dog
Like a boomerang, he returns the disc
Excited, he’s ready to go again
Tongue out, eyes fixed, his bark – I’m ready
Weeding is paused
The garden is alive with activity
The dog show takes center stage
A fine tuned act between man and his dog
Eyes lock, deep brown meets dreamy hazel
The disc all but forgotten at his feet
A bark signals the game’s still on
Smiles exchanged, the disc returns to the air
D andelions adorned in a bright yellow crown
A s wishes take flight, imagination abounds
N arrow stems, waltz with the wind
D raped in yellow, the bees’ golden dance begins
E arly blooms – ambrosia for the bees
L ion’s tooth, jagged leaves stand tall
I n gardens you root, deep in the ground
O pen petals reflect the day’s warmth
N ight asks for patience for another day
S unlight bathes fields in a golden dew
O bsessive lovers of orchids unite
R adiant blooms steal the show
C ascading flowers on slender stems
H anging with grace, in tropical trees
I dyllic orchids charm with exotic beauty
D onkey orchids bellow with drooping ears
S o many orchids, so little time
Standing alone atop a hill,
sunrays weave their way
like a pinball game
through drooping branches
This solitary tree enchants
in its graceful dance
thin branches flow with the breeze
An unkept wooden fence
struggles to perform its only role
decades of neglect
turned panels to obstacles
Creaking and moaning panels
yield to the wind’s
near constant demands
The melody of the tree
in harmony with the fence
soothes and comforts
in textured layers of sound
Calm, welcomed by the empty field
branches sway, hang low
as an interpreted ballet
choreographed by nature
The weeping willow –
some see sorrow, others hope
the same tree, the same dance
through our own experiences
Listen closely to the raindrops falling
Bouncing lightly as they hit the ground
Splish, splash
Landing in puddles that form all around
Splish, splash
Adorning the leaves with barely a sound
Splish, splash
Listen closely to our deep breathing
Rose petals unfurl, bursting with blooms
Ssssss, sssuuuusss
Raindrops on leaves share their perfume
Ssssss, sssuuuusss
The sweetest scents sing their own tune
Ssssss, sssuuuusss
The sun beating down on everything in its path
The air, so humid, feels like a hot bath.
So I sit beneath a huge canopied tree,
Hoping for relief, oh please, let me be.
The sun goes down, but the heat’s still high,
The moonlit night feels heavy and sighs.
The morning burns bright, with more heat to bear,
We’re living in an oven, does anyone care?
The days repeat, burning everything that grows,
So we pray for winter and hope that it snows.
We don’t expect a foot all at one time,
It’s as if our planet has become its own mime.
We have this one place, we all call home,
We travel the world since we’re free to just roam,
But wherever we go, whatever we do,
We’ll still feel this heat, since the sun goes too.
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.
I’m sitting on a bench in the forgotten garden,
nestled in the center of a city.
Thousands of people rush past,
as trees, shrubs, and birds go unseen.
No longer noticing the fragrance
from the blooming flowers.
I found my way in,
closed my eyes,
attempted to erase the overgrowth that
swallowed the garden whole.
Bushes twice their size,
blocking the gate,
acting like bush guards,
controlling entrance to only those
willing to pay its toll.
Struggling flowers,
hidden in the shade,
fight to reach sunlight.
The sound of traffic
attempts to steal my attention
from the hidden beauty I see.
I’m enjoying the sweet beauty of the gardenias
as fumes try to invade
but fail at their attempt to overwhelm
Flowers have disappeared from beds
Weeds pushed their way through.
Years of overgrowth fill my mind.
I envision a weed free bed,
a rainbow of flowers standing tall,
peeking up at the sun.
I see a path with –
couples holding hands,
strolling,
laughing,
and noticing the scent of the flowers.
Trees create a canopy of shade,
branches stretch wide,
longing for the lost days of picnics
beneath its branches
I envision loved ones turning their faces up to the rays of sunshine peeking through the trees.
I move to the bed in front of me.
Kneel down in the damp grass
and begin to remove weeds that took over,
turning a garden into a jungle.
Weeds wet from the dew,
long ago declared squatter’s rights,
now face the harsh reality of eviction.
I return for weeks and work on one spot at a time.
Lizards peek through the leaves,
curious, but remain hidden,
birds chirp in a steady conversation
as they feed their growing chicks.
People feel the excitement
They join to rescue the land
neglect is becoming a memory
we watch it return to its full glory.
One day, I see them –
a couple holding hands,
the swinging basket
telling a new story.
I close my eyes and smile.
I like to wear my blue jeans to work,
Comfort and casual – it’s a small perk.
Run to the store before your day starts,
Or head out to dinner with your sweetheart.
Jeans are flexible, they’re great when you cook,
Add high heels, and you change the whole look.
Knees poking through is trendy to some,
For others it’s like there’s work to be done.
Jean shorts are great for a day in the park,
But not usually worn out on the town after dark.
Jeans come in shades of dark or light blue,
Whatever you like, just find the right hue!
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