Friday, May 5, 2017

Poetry Friday

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday.  Last week was her daughter's birthday.  We missed them both, as we are knee deep - "litterally".  Oh, we should have started this better last year.  The house is littered with years' worth of stuff - the dead skin of living in one place for a long time.  We have moved before, but most of the time it was to a same sized or larger house and so it didn't matter that we had lots of stuff.  Twice when we moved we had professional movers.  Oh, my they are fast!  And you just get to sit back and watch mostly.
One time though they moved our trash even.  Never asked anything about it.  Just packed it up and Voilá! instant trash at your new home!
We are not professionals.  And we are older than last time.  We are older and slower than molasses running uphill on snow.  But we will get there.  Slowly but surely.
I took a break and went on a motorcycle jaunt into town for a teacher certification meeting (retired but still working on mentoring and certifying teachers in the district), and then a stop for coffee at Starbucks where I met up with my husband on his bike.
Then back home to pack, watch a little tv and try to get to bed early so we can have another go at it.  No sense not having some fun in between, and making sure we don't get so spent that we have to take a year to recover!

See where the pot is?  See where the azalea is leaning? 

It's trying to stretch over to the lawn to get light.
 

As I sit here between the box of pots and pans being packed, and the already packed boxes, I can see my sorry azalea.  Years ago we set it, pot and all out in the back yard where we were going to plant it.   We didn't get to it that year, and the following spring we were sure it must be dead, having it's roots out of the ground all winter.  We never watered it or talked to it - gave it no attention.  And the purplish leaves of winter got greener.  It spent a couple years, doing this.  We'd discovered when we wanted to move it that it had put down roots through the small openings in the pot and was clinging to life, literally!  So we left it.  The third year, I believe it was, out sprang a single blossom.  And after that each year it sproinged more and more flowers.  It gives us the first flowers of spring every year nowHow can I leave it here?  Should I try to move it?

I wanted to write a poem for it.  I think I have before.  But I'm spent for writing today.  Then "Ding!"  a found poem from the paragraph above.


Sorry, Azalea

As I sit here
I see
my azalea
set pot and all
in the back yard
to plant,
never watered
or talked to,
it put down roots,
clinging to life;
it gives us
the first flowers
of spring now.
How can I leave it here?

By Donna JT Smith, 5/5/2017 And did you catch the finished Progressive Poem?  Go check it out at Irene Latham's!  It is a real treat, not to be missed!

It's Poetry Friday.  I hope you enjoy many more poems that are being offered today.  Go join the party at Jama's at Jama's Alphabet Soup

17 comments:

  1. Thinking of you and your move. No, don't leave it. It seems like something for faith every spring!

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    1. I'm hoping the roots aren't so deep down through the pot that we can't budge it!

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  2. My, moving is hard and so much work! Had to chuckle at those movers moving your trash, though. I don't envy your having to pack up, but admire your resolve to have some fun time in between.

    I feel sorry for your azalea plant -- that's what you call a hardy perennial. It found a way to survive -- I do admire that. Yes, I think it deserves to go with you to your next home.

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    1. I laughed too, when I opened up the box at the new house. Fortunately it wasn't too stinky!

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  3. Ha, Donna, thanks for making me laugh at your instant trash. :) Yay for your motorcycle break and for these azalea thoughts. One way to look at it is that this azalea seems pretty attached to its home. Perhaps it would rather stay and be a memory for you. xo

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    1. I've thought about leaving it here, but I think I'll give it one try at moving it - see if it is even possible at this stage! It is such a strong plant, and I NEED strong plants in my life! My thumb is no shades of green.

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  4. Moving can be very overwhelming! Glad you are taking a break to ride and get out, and especially glad you took the time to write this.

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    1. It is way overwhelming to me. I have to focus on small bits at a time or I am likely to shut down and say "impossible".

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  5. I love your serendipitous found poem. I'm sure I have plants that can relate--the leftover irises (that I couldn't give away after dividing mine) that took root where I tossed them behind the barn come to mind. Good luck with all the sorting and packing and moving.

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    1. Oh, that sounds so like me...and I love irises (or iri as I call them for plural, lol!). I love them because they are self-sustaining and gorgeous!

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  6. Oh dear, moving can be such a drag, it's been nearly 10 years since I last moved, and I'm in no hurry to do it all again!

    And that story about the movers packing up your trash made me chuckle - at least it helped make your new home feel "lived in"! ;-)

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    1. It is so easy to accumulate stuff! I just want to walk away from it now. I should probably pack a small bag of trash just to make the next place home!

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  7. Feeling guilty, as we have a neglected azalea, too. Each year it produces 2-3 blossoms. YES, just 2-3, as if to say, "HELLO, people. Look what I would give you if you'd only do something to help me along!" Moving is ugh, no matter how old you are or how much stuff you have. Hang in there, and keep us posted. Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/blog/

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  8. Oh my goodness....out of the 🌺 ashes there is life. I would leave this poem with the azalea and the new owner. What a house blessing that would be. You will grow love and friendship anywhere

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  9. I like to think of moving as a fresh start as you weed out what's past and spent and treasure up the good stuff. Too bad it's so hard for me to actually do that! We cleared a couple of rooms to have the carpet torn up and didn't really have time to sort out as we packed, but I'm being judicious as I put things back. : ) Your azalea will bespeak you wherever it ends up!

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    1. Sounds like that Azalea and you were meant to be together-maybe get some advice if you decide to move it with you, some plants don't like being uprooted, just like people. I'm sure the Azalea is appreciating your poem! I have a plant in my backyard that I meant to have just in its planter each summer but as yours, mine surprised me too and has permanently rooted itself through my cobblestones into the earth . . . Good luck with your packing.

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