Safe

Photo of a veggie patch with small lettuce plants sheltered with plastic containers. There’re also luscious spinach plants in the patch.

Away from nibblers
safe in their tiny shelters,
backyard lettuces.

Wild

Photo of an aloe vera bush.

Kraken of the earth,
monstrous prickly tentacles:
wild aloe vera.

Rose

Photo of a white rose, surrounded by bright green plants, just after some rain.

In a sea of green,
a cool autumn afternoon—
my white rose blooming.

Unruly

Close up photo of a star flower growing out of its pot.

Perfectly portioned,
meticulously maintained;
garden plants don’t care.

Flowering

Photo of a tree laden with pink flowers.

Little pink droplets
raining down on my back yard
a feast for the bees