The lush green
And sunflower spreads
Did not deceive you.
You stopped for tea
You talked sundry
And smiled your way
To my backyard.
Barren and dead
As the depths of my soul.
I brazened it out
And glanced at the clock.
You were back the next day
At the crack of dawn.
Kettle on stove,
I turned inside out
My stock of small talk-
In my mind.
My mouth was dry
And you
Wandered off.
Steeling myself,
I set out the tea
And called out for you.
Not me- I am sure
But someone I used to know-
Someone inside me
Took me to the backyard.
And there you were
On your knees-
Earth and Water in your hands
Planting Hope
Planting Prayer.
We had a quiet tea
And you were gone.
The sun called me out
Before it set that day.
I watered them
I nurtured them-
And softly said good night.
You stopped by
Now and then-
Nodding away with that told you smile
One damp morning
Stretching out
Chasing sleep from my bones,
I pulled aside the curtain,
I opened the window.
Not proud like the sunflower
Nor shy as the violet.
A quiet bloom, I would say
Smiled back at me
The same old smile;
“I told you so”