My Mother's Garden

My mother's garden tells a story
Of warmth and sunlight
Or of snow and cloudy skies
And of Life, Death, and Rebirth
A testament to Mother Nature's
Ever-changing facade

When the temperature outside begins
To slowly climb and the snow melts
Into the ground, the tulips poke their
Bright heads above the soil
Painting the air with vibrant
Purples, pinks, reds and yellows

If I had to define peace I'd say
I love nothing more than to sit out
On mother's patio, watching the lilies
Swaying in the wind or the butterflies
Flit from flower to flower while the fishpond
Bubbles merrily in the background

The moon lilies bloom until the first frost
When they die and their sweet perfume
No longer fills the night air you know
Autumn is on its way--Still, the blazing
Reds and oranges of the leaves keep the
Impending cold away just a little longer

But soon the pleasant colors, sights and sounds
Of my mother's garden are buried by snow
Leaving behind harsh blacks and browns and
Silence. But winter doesn't last forever and
When the temperature outside begins to climb
The tulips poke their bright heads above the soil