My Japanese Camellia

My Japanese Camellia

(“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23a)

The rain kept me from my outdoor chores,
there was more to burn in my pile of brush loaded
with slowing sap and winter dampness.
My roses overgrew their place during the shortened days
and looked like aliens waving to their home ship.

Just a few months before we gathered apples from our
mini forest floor and from
the highest limbs of the trees planted generations ago.
They are proud and are hurt by the pruning.
We will have a smaller harvest this year
but sweeter. Light can whistle between each limb again.

Even though the rains dominate the hours week after week,
somehow the sun has pulled the life from the roots to the stems.
My Japanese camellia, green and lonesome from the winter till now
offers me the first dusty flower of these early days of Spring;
hung like a forgotten Christmas ornament, pastel pink
against leaves of forest green.

I take a breath and begin the day again.