lei fraser

I

Night came quickly to the garden tonight. I sat at the long dining table under the floral chandelier, surrounded by fairy lights and candles. The sunset reflected in the mirrors on the far wall, my head filled with poetry.

Cardinal flying
Calling out to his love
Erratic red blur
~

Water falls in darkness
Unseen voice in constant rhythm
Falling endlessly over itself
Crickets sing to each other
From the low grasses
And hidden branches
Calling to the fireflies and sleeping doves

Each summer for a decade I have sat here
In the arms of this secret garden,
Among the flowers and vines
Listening to these songs
The stones and trees tell stories
In the dappled morning light
After spending the light listening

I have been drifting in half light
Half life
The garden has grown, changed
And so have I
~

II

Water falls like a curtain
Kisses repeated like applause
The garden breathes a long with stone pathways
I have grown here among the moss and pebbles
A decade of growth laid out
In added lines and sinking curves
My reflection seen in quiet fountains
Waiting for the water to leap and play
Against the concrete bowls
Seen in the flowers spilling from their pots
Statues unmoved, stand
There is no applause for me
~

Has it been too long that I have been sad? Maybe yes. There are reasons, maybe good ones. The movement interrupted, restarted like a broken heart receiving thumping compressions. I carried on through the pain and tears. Moved through the veil of minutes, from one thing to the next until the minutes crashed into months. Paralyzing fear danced at the foot of my bed. There is no wrong way, no good time, no turning back. Can’t rush a flower to bloom. You can try, but it will still bloom only when it is ready to.
~

Heart whispers to the misted shadows
To the unturned leaves and gentle breezes
Show me the way along this unknown path
Wander with me over the stones
Take my hand
Heal the empty wounds
With your light, your care
Even the sunlight this morning
Comes with the sweet touch of bird song
To rest with the seeker
While the world retreats
To root and bloom
~

Through the roof canopy
Virginia creeps
Winding through soft sunlight
even softer shadows
Above dusted pink roses
And coral hibiscus
Behind the gauze curtains and gold candlelight
Oh heart, meet me there.

III

The garden smiles
On a grey Sunday morning
I sit still and breathe

~

Rain drums a constant beat
On the window
Marking the trees
In long dark trunklines
Finches huddle under
Protective curled leaves
Fuchsia blooms turn to drink
Reflected in mirrors
Lanterns and empty birdcages
Dance with emerald vines
I lay down among the pebbles
To let the water nourish me too
Let the soil rise up
Let my limbs mingle with other roots
Let me disappear
Thoughts melt with the rain
Dissolving
The garden breathes
I breathe
~

IV

Journey home alone
Life reflected in a drop
Balanced on a leaf
~

©2010 Leigh-Anne Fraser-Tyson