not through the winter

natapee
Author: natapee
Word Count: 274
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not through the winter

not through the winter belongs to the following groups:

WMG

forgive me
for not providing you
with a proper burial
for sweeping you up
without ceremony

but you’ve been
burnt and brown
for some time now

my green thumb
lacks for leaves
of plants that
fail to thrive
in cold climates

it’s not that
I never noticed you
every morning
I walked past you
with tenderness

all this time
watching
curling
browning
hardening

I felt it too
I felt it more
my heart
stricken
as each day
with every inch
of green
that retreated
resembling
the sun
that you once
raced to

after all
this energy
spent tending
the tears
reviving
the attention
spent coaxing
and the desperation
finally
once all else
passed

to realise
the futility

because
you’re
not bred
to live
through
this season

how foolish
we both were
naive to think
all year long
you’d grow

I hoped
you’d reach
the sky
and I could climb
towards
the sun
on your
strength

after the promise
of summer
the thickening
of your stems
the widening
of your leaves

winter breathed
reality
into me
as it breathed
life
out of you

I see now
your leaves
are meant
to furl
curl
and fall
until there’s
nothing left
at all
a thin
reminder
of what
could have been

as it warms
you’ll return
but it won’t be
for me
your leaves
will take new
shape
you’ll need
new gardeners

memories
of climbing
memories
of love

our summer
is etched
in the vessels
of my heart
and in the veins
you’ll grow
once more
my sweet leaf
that never
made it
through
the winter

xxx

  • girlinthestars

    girlinthestars

    this is brilliant! really really really fantastic. i absolutely love it. am i getting my point across…:)

  • natapee replied

    thank you darling. xx

  • natapee replied

    heh and yes you got your point across : )

  • Holly Ringland

    Holly Ringland

    nat, what an analogy… this is heart achingly beautiful and filled with such powerful imagery. i love the way you translate ordinary life into magic cloaks that I always feel I can wrap myself up in and understand. so enchanting and clever, I love this.

  • natapee replied

    Pinta, you are so generous. That you see magic in this makes me glow. thank you so much xx

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