Marian Rose


first of June
month you were born
the old house still looks good
except

new owners
tore everything from your gardens
i should have taken more 
i scream now 
too late, crude chain saws
dad's tree brutalized, hauled off 
lovely lilacs castrated
peonise hearts ripped from precious roots
i cry tears you would have
but

from the one bush i had stolen
gracing my grassy driveway curve
leafy branches thriving for twelve years now
peonise will bloom for the very first time
a single pink rimmed bud 
seeking out the sun, this first day of June
your birthday

was that you saying hello? 
my dearest Marian Rose