Nurture Me Poem by Suzanne Hayasaki

Water me with your sympathy
And buds will appear on my vine.
Shine on my with your buoyancy
And my tendrils begin to unwind.

Buttress me with a trellis.
Trim my withered stems.
Patiently wait for the springtime
And watch me blossom again.

I do not die.
I do not leave.
I do not shake.
I do not weep.

But when my blooms become too heavy
When my ambitious shoots overgrow
When hubris weighs like an albatross
I let my extremities go.

My petals and leaves become humus.
My vines cease their climb to the sky.
My roots give up their digging.
And I cling like a widow to life.

The winter may be long and bitter.
The soil may be barren and hard.
My grip may weaken.
My sap may thin.

But with a little bit of sun.
With just a little bit of care
I will bring forth blooms again
And my fragrance will fill the air.