japanese gardener
as a willow curves
under its weight of snow
she bends towards the earth
wearing a kerchief and sweater
in the hot afternoon
she cannot vision the rising sun
cannot remember warmth
has lost summer in the winter
of her internment
all she knows are long
rows of zucchini and carrots
hundreds of hills of potatoes
memorized in brain and bone
she has come almost full circle
the arc of her life closing to good
brown soil she sifts through fingers
molded to the shape of
a perfectly ripe tomato.
as a willow curves
under its weight of snow
she bends towards the earth
wearing a kerchief and sweater
in the hot afternoon
she cannot vision the rising sun
cannot remember warmth
has lost summer in the winter
of her internment
all she knows are long
rows of zucchini and carrots
hundreds of hills of potatoes
memorized in brain and bone
she has come almost full circle
the arc of her life closing to good
brown soil she sifts through fingers
molded to the shape of
a perfectly ripe tomato.