ANNUAL RITUAL

After Memorial Day,

In early June,

Flower flats come in

And are planted real soon…

In some years it’s taken days

To plant all the flowers,

Must be a whole lot less this year

‘Cause it’s just taking hours!

–

Everyone would pitch in,

At least the assigned three,

More than a couple of years ago

That would have included me…

We would have carefully watered by hose

The ones not yet put in,

Making sure that those we did

Were properly watered again.

–

Automatic irrigation

Provides a daily spray

To water most of the garden

And keep dryness away…

Flowers planted away from  those arcs

Must be by design at home

With less water provided

And thrive on their own.

–

Many the day in warm weather

I stood or bent outside,

Weeding and “heading” my flowers

Watching the folks who’d ride…

Past on pleasure or business

I’d wave in busy bliss,

Especially the nice-looking ladies  🙂

Those days I rather miss.

–

Alas, the back is stiffer

And the pain is steadier now,

I can no more do the gard’ning—

Or ever drive the snow plow…

My days of hard physical work

Are alas all over for me,

The last time I tried to plant flower beds

I paid for days most dearly!!

–Jonathan Caswell