Paradise Found
(for Mary)
Each night at six the hummingbird
drops by our yard, without a word
you stop with hose in hand and freeze
beneath our acorn-laden trees.
The toy bird takes a dainty drink
(you dare not make a sound or blink)
She flits, she flutters—zip!—she’s gone
and you come to and carry on.
You snip, you clip, you tend, you hose
each daisy, lily, heather, rose,
then with your strong and gentle hand
you pluck the fairest of the land.
An ordinary eve as this
could bear not one more drop of bliss.
Copyright © 2012 by Lesléa Newman.
Used by permission of the author.
All rights reserved.
Lesléa Newman is the author of 64 books for readers of all ages including the poetry collections NOBODY'S MOTHER, SIGNS OF LOVE and STILL LIFE WITH BUDDY, the novel, THE RELUCTANT DAUGHTER, and the children's book, HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES. Her literary awards include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. A past poet laurate of Northampton, MA, she is currently a faculty member of Spalding University's brief-residency MFA in Writing program. Her newest poetry collection, OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD will be published by Candlewick Press in September, 2012.
