by Jacque Davis
Should you look for me
you will find me
in the garden
where hosta leaves shadow purple pansies
creeping phlox crawl over edging
coneflowers battle for space
and peonies, burdened with night rain
beg for help
the dog follows me everywhere
she lies in cool shade
one crooked back leg
splayed out behind her
I dig and prod
with gloved hand
crumble clumps of soil
ease into tender layers
of patina greens
there is much to be done
only one cardinal has visited
the feeder we set up
I’ve moved the wild seed
to a shadowed corner
closer to the cedars
side shoots of clematis
struggle through overgrown ivy
lily of the valley
invade unclaimed territory
stargazer lilies yearn to move
to a warmer spot
you warned me against
these demanding tenants
advised me not to expect
too much control
yet control is what I need now
I long for purpose
the dog shifts
attempts a better position
continues her vigilance
from a gentle distance
nose on her paws
daisies begin to fold into themselves
foxgloves bow their heads
the dog saunters toward me
a lump of ache and love
Dawn Steiner began writing poetry under the guidance of Stephanie Bolster. She has produced two chapbooks, The Ties that Bind, and Reflections. She was a member of The Wellington Street Poets. The Wellington Street Poets, under the guidance of Barbara Myers, collaborated on five chapbooks as well as a collection in book form called Oblique Strokes (2007). Her poems have appeared in The Algonquin Roundtable Review, The Voice, Local Lines, Bywords, & Inwords magazine. She was Sawdust’s Poem Off winner in July 2017.
Jacque Davis creates art from her home studio in Southern Illinois. Her longtime love of color, texture and stitch is evident in her richly colored and densely stitched art. She is inspired by nature and the evocative language of dreams. Her work can be seen at jacquedavis.com.