Garden

Garden

Today seed packets arrived.

Nothing special, just some herbs

and one of miniature tomatoes.

My mind wanders as I plant

in my big black pots,

I think back seventy years.

I think of the Victory Garden

in our back yard. The family

worked together in the small patch,

which seemed big to me. Spading,

hoeing, weeding, watering

and then weeks later we picked

carrots, sweet corn - dad's favorite,

tomatoes, squash and pole beans.

In those days horse drawn wagons

were still common. When a horse left

dung in the street, children with their

spades rushed to collect it for the gardens.

Today seed packets arrived. I set

my container garden on the deck.

My mind roams as I plant.

I think ahead thirty days.

How I'll savor what comes

from these seeds.

This year's container garden

tomatoes to be

parsley and basil

tomatoes waiting to turn red