Thinking of you

Orchid Ball, by Jim Langdon

15 April, a brisk morning

                                            for Michael

Last time, decades ago

but after days of rain, overnight

wind sweeps across to change

the nature of everything

                                    I open

the kitchen door to a brash awakening

catching its refreshing candor

walk the yard, gather its leavings

count new buds on the lilacs

I transplanted before I knew

you would appear

                               and die again

Still, you grow with us

the striking black branch of dogwoods

      whitening hair glorious

against new-washed blue

between gusts, the wink of a neighbor’s 

azaleas, magenta and pink 

                    as babies’ bottoms

          barely out of their pods

I wonder what you think of us

enmeshed here in a landscape

                                    of dreams

ears tuned to every sound as ground

                                                      swells

our resolute trust 

                  ...caution to the winds!...

listening, season by season, for

                               your re-emerging song

                                                love, Mom

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