The breeze on my cheek,
The day gloomy and grey.
My walk would be brisk,
To keep the chill of Winter at bay.
It was a street I had walked,
Many, many times before.
Tidy lawns, pretty flowers,
Brightly painted front doors.
With a hop, skip and jump,
I bounded along.
No dawdling today,
No whistling a song.
Abundant beauty all around,
I took it for granted.
House after house,
Vibrant annuals neatly planted.
In the midst of it all
An abandoned old home,
Frozen in time,
The care now all gone.
Weeds tangled together,
A fence falling down.
Paint peeling off windows,
Out of place in this town.
In the briefest of moments,
From the corner of my eye.
Unexpected delight,
Rising up to greet the sky.
Unmistakable gold beauties,
Pushing up tall and proud.
Admired by few,
Discreet and not loud.
My haste now all gone,
I paused to reflect.
These unpampered flowers,
Deserved my respect.
These determined, strong lovelies,
Did not quit when alone.
Overcoming the odds,
Standing proud on their own.
Today I witnessed radiance,
Amidst the ravages of time.
Resilience and strength,
Magnificently combined.
In a street filled with loveliness,
They honoured their space.
A triumph over adversity,
Leaving a smile on my face.
Beautiful poem, Karen! There truly is a lesson to be learned from the flowers that find their way through even the toughest of circumstances to show their bloom.
Yes Mo, mother nature at her finest.