Love's Purest Harvest

Teach us to number our days,that we may gain a heart of wisdom.Psalm 90:12 Thank-you, God, for the toil of rakes,of pruning shears and petal-tearsand garden tours where farewell acheswith every tug and turn. As yearsaccumulate with searing ease;sheaf upon sheafof memories Thank you, God, for beggarly blisswhere happiness and hunger meldwhere no morrow can cool the kissthat weeps with joy at having heldand borne the sting of thorns to smellthe rose beforeits petals fell Thank-you, God, for the tender taskof tending graves; no cruel griefis this; to linger thus, to baskin the fullness of fallen leafand listen to the eulogythat weans the whisperfrom the tree Thank-you God, for each little sliceof Heaven on earth’s dust-to-dustseason-altars of sacrifice-es kindling utter wonder-lustAnd humbler gratitude, to crownLove’s tender teardropsslipping down © Janet Martin A few more 'slices' of Heaven on earth’s dust-to-dust...