Grace and Redemption
©May 9th, 2018
By Vijaya Sundaram
The Japanese Maple burns gold,
And shadows fall across the rubble
Of twigs and leaves, and tilted table:
The Fall from Grace of another season.
Graceful fiddlehead ferns arise
Ballerina-like, tender, waving their arms,
Feathery and ethereal from dreams
Of yesteryear, bringing ancient newness
To the rectangular backyard, where the dog
Tramples everything else underfoot
In her eternally failing quest
Of squirrels to subjugate.
Soon, I will head out there with rake and trowel
Lawn bags and mundane accoutrements,
Taming the wilderness just a little.
The Japanese Maple will stand free.
If only all redemption were this easy:
A rake, strong arms, and hard labour,
Restoring order in a chaotic backyard!
No apologies, no regret, no shame –
Just a straightening-up, and a standing-tall
In the face of a new season.
________________________________________________