Tuesday, June 30, 2009

A Metaphor



















I cried the morning after he gave it to me.

I saw
a hasty, last-minute purchase
with grass growing out of the center
not decorative texture-grass
but the kind of grass I try to keep out of the flower garden
as though it had been left untended for quite some time
I saw the subtle disregard as a metaphor
and I cried.

Unwisely, I compared
it to the one we gave his mother
a stunning planter of white hydrangeas
bedecked with ribbon and bordered with trailing vines
blossoms bigger than baseballs
dramatic, understated, yet sensational
and I felt...
less than.

But because it was from him
I loved it, took care of it
placed it right out in front
made sure it got plenty of refreshing water
and affectionate sunshine

It began to grow on me

Today I saw
a container overflowing with cascading blossoms
in my favorite colors, the tertiaries
clusters of red-orange, blue-violet, yellow-green
thriving in the rain and the sunshine
casting playful shadows across the steps
and smiling at me from the porch, a metaphor
I couldn't help but cry again

I'm sorry, Honey
I was wrong
I didn't see

How beautiful it is!

12 comments:

Kristina P. said...

This was so sweet, Jana! Sometimes it's hard to look past the imperfections.

Anonymous said...

I'm a weepy mess, Charrette. And I'm never a weepy mess. This is so beautiful. I love it and all that it means.

"...because it was from him, I loved it, took care of it...I didn't see how beautiful it is!"

There are thousands of metaphors in this one poem. Thank you for this beautiful treasure.

Kazzy said...

Awww. One day you will be the matriarch and get the grassless planter!

Beautiful! I love flowers.

Melanie Jacobson said...

A perfect metaphor.

Mrs4444 said...

It's amazing how full of life you are. When you live life seeing everything, feeling everything, it is so much richer. And when you feel everything more deeply, you feel the good (as well as the not-so-good)but it is so worth it, you know?

Thinking of you tonight...just popped by to say hi.

Sandy M. said...

You made me smile :)

Luisa Perkins said...

Well done, J. Your honesty staggers and inspires me.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Is it awful that my first thought is, dang, I should have watered the one Neil gave me?

Such an apt metaphor. Has me sniffly and contemplative, both.

Heather of the EO said...

OH MY....

Yeah...
What Mrs.4444 said.

(and others)

This was really just perfect.
I LOVE how you think. I really do.

Heidi said...

Wow! How very lovely . . .and such a wonderful metaphor for life. So often we might feel like we get the weeds when, in reality, it turns out to be one of our favorite things. Love you!

Dedee said...

Oh how many times I have only seen the last minute stuff.

Thank you for reminding me to look a little deeper and see the reality.

Brillig said...

Sigh. Gorgeous. Him, you, the plant, the metaphor, the post. All of it gorgeous. (I hope he read this...)