The Kitchen Window
Leah-Joy Smith
Push aside Mother Nature’s compost
Show me colored life again
Face the freezing frost fight, win
With red dirt in your roots
The oak will become a chapel
Worship lead by the whippoorwill
The heater’s hum and tick sleeps
The whir of the box fan blows the smell of green
Warm water, dirty dishes fill the sink
My fingers are pink prunes
Dripping Dawn sponge in my hand
Beauty and hummingbirds linger on the porch
Plant my flip-flops in front of the sink
The water is getting cold, I watch with hope
Through finger prints and soap splatters,
Sun soaks the linoleum floor
Flowers bloom outside
the ruby, sapphire, and emerald kitchen window
Lavender sprouts and daffodils yellow