Woman Who Loves Gardening
I have dirty nails
and rarely paint them, living out
my long growing season in the flower garden, trellises
giving view to royal purple clematis, climbing honeysuckle
where aromatic flowers
grow in profusion.
I pull the weeds
in the early morning,
gritting my teeth,
wiping sweat from my brow
and listening
to footsteps of my husband
coming in range to help.
Sun makes my face red;
each sniff with my nose
leaves lily pollen behind.
When I rest it’s the beauty
that causes anxiety to shake loose
from a woman in need
of a quiet place to retreat.
by Christy Woolum
