children

she plants
the seeds in spring.
and when
the flowers
come up
she waters them,
nutures
their growth,
trims out
the weeds.
she admires
them in the summer,
telling them
daily how
fine and beautiful
they are.
in the fall
she cuts
them clean,
letting them go
from stem to
ground, places
the memory of
them in a vase
by the window
and waits
once more
for the snow
to melt
and for them
to visit again.