Already Beside Me

I would welcome my Beloved to this garden
but there’s so much work to be done first—

wet earth to turn and build up in raised beds
paths to line with colored brick and stone

weeds to pull and compost to work into the soil
seedlings to transplant from green plastic pots

sweat and tears to keep the roots from drought
heart’s blood to break tight buds into roses

and when I turn to call my Beloved to the garden
He is already beside me, hands dark with earth.

--for Cafe Writing