Poem 453

The two partners keeping the ship afloat in different ways, neither feeling appreciated …

( I like the double meaning of the last line – expecting flowers in the garden without doing the work for them but also flowers in the sense of plaudits for the invisible work done out in the world before returning home … )

Planting

Bulbs are scattered on the garden
like papery moons
a rich cold soil as the sky and you
dig them in one after another
one by one
in a slow rotation

you think I don't need you
always on stairways
in other draughty rooms working

you garden here alone
I come back
and expect

flowers