among the ruins

rengo is a name for more than one tanka to be joined as one poem. I use Japanese structure, but I do not claim to even approach Japanese context.

 

 

rengö

among the ruins

 

a short old woman

is deadheading her roses,

snipping savagely

as she mutters curses at

thrips and aphids, black-leaf and

mold.  why, she cries to

the sky, why does this garden

not thrive?  she cossets,

cajoles, begs, beseeches, she

weeds and hoes, waters and feeds.

she knows why, but will

not allow her head to hear;

she knows how love works:

love is a habit; it frays

and flows one way to its end.

Author's Note

a rewrite of the last three lines as suggested by a reviewer. I think it is better for the rewrite.
6/20 another rewrite

Reviews

[Beccy]

Love and nature are always best left to follow their natural course.

Enjoyed this.

Beccy.

[Riverz]

hey this ain't too bad. probably a little too deliberate in the last line. but not too bad at all