Voices of Poetry & Prose Issue #1 June 2014 | Page 9

Finally ... spring! I gather my hand trowel and shears. I gather the pansies and the seed packets too. With my arms over-full, I set foot into the back yard. My ratty garden shoes sink into the soft spring grass. The ground is still spongy from its recent thaw, and it smells faintly of earthworms and wetness.

neighborhood abuzz /

after three days of sun - /

weekend planting //

Don't let the word "planting" fool you. Sometimes there is a lot of demolition involved in planting. Leaves need to be removed and mulch needs to be shifted around. Shrubs and perennials that died over winter need to be dug up.

winter-dead shrub /

still has iron roots - /

scratches on my arms //

Removing dead plants is a sad process, and one that makes me pause. If plants could think and speak, what would they say? Were the shrubs silently pleading for shelter as I passed?

I place my gear on the ground. There is a half-dead shrub that needs to be pruned. I kneel beside it, and decide where to begin cutting.

It's ironic that - if you're a plant - being buried up to your neck in the snow can be a life-saver. Humans think snow always kills - but that isn't always true. Snow may be cruel, but cold winter winds can be crueler and they strip the weak of life.

Sometimes what looks like punishment is really a blessing.

after shears' crunch - /

what a relief /

to see bright buds! /

©2014 Jen at Blog It or Lose It

Spring Planting (Haibun)

by Jen at Blog It or Lose It