Sowing & Reaping

In the garden fruit seeds were sown in rich, tilled soil,
Squash, beans, cucumber, and honeydew,
Eggplant, okra, zucchini, and onion,
Basil, oregano, garlic, and cilantro.

The ground was tilled and mixed with manure,

But there were other seeds still buried beneath the sod,

Thistle, briar, dandelion and clover,

That grew up among the vegetables, untended. 

In time, the garden grew beautiful,

Providing home for butterfly, ant, and honeybee

That crawled upon yellow flower and green blade,

Lush and thick in summertime. 

Flowers grew up through the bluestem and cordgrass,

Goldenrod, bergamot, blazing star,

Aster, milkweed, and indigo,

Yellow, white, purple, magenta, and blue.

A maple tree shot up in the middle of the garden,

Reaching toward the sun and casting shade on the tomatoes,

Sucking water from cornstalks,

Growing strong roots in the fertile tillage. 

The weeds became a beautiful garden,

Sheltering field mouse and hummingbird,

Feeding rabbit, quail, and white tailed deer,

Offering no comfort to farmer at harvest time.