New and fresh
Young and bright
The greenness of Spring
Tried and true
Comfortable and faded
Her countenance in the mirror
Yet, with each new leaf
Each new flower petal
Youthfulness resurfaces
Along with it, a smile,
New and fresh, after all
They offer the sweetest Good Morning.
A gentle wave, almost imperceptible
when the wind is calm.
I noticed them yesterday.
I noticed them today.
They will not be here forever.
Truth is, neither will I.
Truth is, neither will you.
So, how do our Good Mornings compare?
Some mornings, the words
croak through scratchy cords
as hands rub grit from sleepy eyes.
Even on those days,
I see you smiling over
your first cup of coffee.
And I smile back-
Maybe not quite as sweet
as the Pink Bubblegum Petunias.
Their name alone makes
competing a challenge-
Though it offers a worthy goal.
Sweet Good Mornings
Conceding the temporary
Leaning into the enduring
Happy Earth Day! 🌎🌸
Pink and white azalea blossoms
fall with the gentlest breeze-
A soft blanket on dark, rich soil
Soon, the foundation of
roots, stems, and leaves
will be all that remains
of them until next Spring
Newly planted Bubblegum
Pink Petunias, the babies
of this small flower bed
Huddle quietly, calmly
waiting for roots to take hold
so they can dance, dance, dance
Joseph’s Coat, variety
Alternanthera Chartreuse-
Bright, young, and green,
Their faithful protector
Countless lifetimes
lived in one minuscule
fragment of rich terra firma
Capacity for growing
Capacity for living
Capacity for dying
Capacity for remembering
The wind’s sway
is strong today
Urging and drawing
This way and that
It is okay to hold on, Little Flower
But keep your eyes open
You never know what
new perspectives
The breeze might
have in store
Rolling flutters
of soft purples and
sweet floral aromas
call tiny tarsus
in for a landing—
Fortitude in frailty
for both Iris and Bee.
Wings excitedly buzz.
Precious nectar and
baskets of pollen are
carefully collected—
Valuable resources for
sharing and sustaining
a beautiful partnership.
Security in the hope
of their survival
across the flourishing
of each new rolling
purple flutter and
tiny buzzing bee.
Standing tall behind
A concrete barrier
Not the place
I would expect to see you-
Your face turns left, then right
Back and forth with the breeze
While your palms wave
A friendly hello-
Your sudden appearance
Brings to mind a puppet
Popping up from behind
A carefully constructed stage-
A giggling child, your audience-
But you are no puppet
And I am not a child-
You are a happy little Sunflower
Not standing in a field, amongst
A family of sunflowers-
You are a happy little Sunflower
Smiling and waving, standing tall
Behind a concrete barrier
And I, a searcher, thankful
For your glimmer of hope
Sturdy, beautifully faded red barn
Surrounded by rolling hills of green grass
Graceful greens rolling into perfect blues
Placid blue sky dotted with fluffy white-
A beautiful scene laid out in front of me-
Postcard perfect, though,
Any photo I might take would surely
Contain unwanted obstructions –
So, I drove home, disappointed,
With only the picture in my head-
Perhaps I was searching for perfection-
What if I changed my attitude
And the direction of my gaze?
Instead of upward, maybe outward,
Downward or possibly inward?
No matter the direction
There will always be obstructions-
But new perspectives often bring
Surprisingly unexpected views
I did not plan to spend the weekend at home sick. But I am grateful for the beautiful flowers outside my front door. And for my sweet husband who brought me chicken soup, hot tea, and Gatorade. It’s the little things. 🩷
Perhaps because it was
My thirty-first
Wedding anniversary
Perhaps because your
Silvery white hair
Brought memories of Dad
And the anniversaries
He and Mom celebrated-
I don’t know why
I noticed you walking
Into the flower shop
While sitting in
The drive-thru line
Next door, waiting
For my lunch
But I wondered
Why you were there-
You looked distinguished
In your dark navy slacks
Light blue button-down
And silvery white hair
So many possibilities
For your stop at
The flower shop-
If only I could wait
To see what flowers
You purchased-
But I couldn’t wait
There were cars behind
And work ahead-
I chose to picture you
And your lovely wife
Celebrating your anniversary
Fifty or sixty years, perhaps?
I guess I’ll never know
But I’m thankful
My thoughts had
The chance to wander
Cloud and Sun struggled
Over their place
In the sky today-
One provided shade
While carrying
Hints of rain
The other interrupted
With light and warmth
There was an ebb and flow
Within their banter
More like siblings
Vying for attention
Instead of a competition-
Of course, they had a
Captive audience-
Newly Bloomed Rose
Reported the following:
There was an encouraging air
Of cooperation overhead today
Piano Girl 