2002/lavender
The new lavender
has eight perfect
flowers.
Fresh.
The older plants
on the other side
of the house are
dense with dead
blooms,
gray from the summer
heat.
The new blooms
fill me with dreams
of lavender water
for the bath,
lavender sugar
for someone’s tea,
someone who uses
sugar –
the purple spikes
preserved in the cascade
of snowy grains,
each spoonful
removed revealing
more of its color,
its perfumey essence.
10/23/02