One step backward and the ghost
of winter embraces us although
it’s July and the greenhouse
has coughed up its riot of annuals.
The chill rumples our senses.
Petunias, sweet peas, alyssum,
zinnia, lantana, nasturtiums
have left pollen prints everywhere.
Their absence makes a crime scene,
but who can we blame for selling
flowers too vivid to last long?
The ghost of winter suggests
that a new thought of planting
looms a few months ahead of us,
repopulating the greenhouse
with seedlings rich with ambition.
The winter ghost is perennial
although it droops in summer heat
and doesn’t respond to watering.
We step forward and for a moment
free ourselves of the haunting.
But we like being reminded
that the seasons lean on each other
like old men swapping anecdotes,
eager to hear something new.
No comments:
Post a Comment