HOW DOES MY GARDEN GROW?

HOW DOES MY GARDEN GROW?

Overgrown, choked with weeds and unyielding wildness
I struggle to find space, and light, and the joyous abandon of flowers
Blooming, with riotous color, and heavenly scent
Bringing to me the sense of life taking hold once again

The feeling of claustrophobia, being trapped inside the tangle of green,
Like ivy-covered prison walls, that keep growing thicker and thicker
And I fight for air, gasping for each breath to release me
From the tendrils that are strangling me

I ruthlessly chop down bushes and trees that have spread too far
And pull out weeds with roots extending to the middle of the earth,
Until at last there are no more feral, savage plants encroaching everywhere
And I sigh with relief and gather together flowers and gentle foliage

This is, for me, a cleansing, a rebirth, and an affirmation of life
After the desolation of the desert inside me, and the tangled thoughts
And feelings which allowed neither light nor air to enter,
Keeping me from reaching out and touching the sun

But now, I watch in wonder as the buds burst open
With the promise of new life, and the infinite colors and aromas,
Like the fabled Phoenix, rise from the ashes of dead blossoms
To once again bring forth the wonderful elixir of life

At last I am free to smell the flowers, and rejoice in their beauty,
To watch as the birds and the butterflies and the bees come to share
With me the tranquility and sweetness of my garden
And assure me that each day is truly a new beginning