A TIME TO SOW
~ by Lisa Ann Reilich
On Halloween, we planted brown bulbs
in dark chocolate soil tinged with marine clay
by the steel-gray icy sea. Pining for you while
we dug, the last russet and red maple leaves
drifted with ease to our knees, falling, lying
gently on the browning surrounding sod.
On discarded packaging, colorful portraits of promise
sang their story in vibrant yellows, pinks, reds. We
could almost feel the color swimming, squirming inside
the hard brown lumps held in our hands, compact bundles
of magic, mystery, suspense. We buried them with a blanket —
Earth sprinkled with your ashes — as if wee children
putting their newly lost tooth under a satin pillow, wonder
and faith glinting in their eyes, knowing, believing
the Tooth Fairy would surely come.
Now it is late April. From those deep dark holes filled
with hope, covered with faith months before, cheerful
colored glee is waving, nodding, giggling joyfully.
The sprites and fairies have kept their promise.
And I will keep mine. I promise to keep planting
the so-called dead, promise to keep faith they will
return each Spring after their Winter slumber. I stand
tall in my granite watchtower rising from ancient ledge — I
will be first to witness your return, wrapping me gently
in fog coming in on lapping waves, fog rising as tall
as — taller than —me from this salted sea.
Until then, each Halloween — I promise you — I will plant
brown bulbs, hold them warmly, firmly in my earth-stained, calloused
hands — before tucking them in with a goodnight kiss — keeping
faith your vibrant colors will warm me, wake me
up again come Spring.
***