Orchid

I’ve invited you in

To see the beauty in my yard
In my garden
See the flowers over there
See the special way they bloom
Blush
That’s the color, what it’s called
Close the gate behind you
No one else can come in
Just the two of you
Did you bring your camera?
There’s so much here to see
Sit here, on the lush green grass
Look there at that bed of flowers
Just about to open up
You’re just in time

I’ve invited you in
In to see the secret garden behind the wall
Behind the vines, vinca vines
Even some poison ivy I believe
But now you’re in, you’re here
I can’t believe it
Wait, why are you standing up
Oh to get a better shot
Look the flowers are posing for you
Zoom
That’s the camera making that noise, not me
Sucking in my breath, holding it in
You step closer
I feel my heartbeat quickening
The flower is starting to open
The sun is shining brightly
There are no clouds
There is no rain

I’ve invited you in
In to see the impossible
What has never been seen
This, the rarest of rare flowers
Is about to open wide and let you see
It’s starting
Flash
We are momentarily blinded
Even the flower
Petal soft and fragile as dove’s eggs
You step closer
So does your friend
I remain where I am seated
This mystery of blooming I have known for some time
Just never shared
Until now
With you

I’ve invited you in
You are off the blanket now, walking through the grass
Getting as close as you can
Without touching
Your toes are on the edge of the path
Your body leaning in
Your friend is reaching out
To move a leaf
For a better shot
I nearly cry out, but I can’t, I won’t
I don’t spoil the moment
Her hand brushes the petal
Shudder
It is such a part of me that I shiver too
Can’t think, can’t move
Can’t see anything except the hand that came so close
I’m afraid I’ll lose control if she does it again

I’ve invited you in
To see for yourself
What I cannot explain, cannot put into words
There is silence in the garden
No words need to be spoken
Everything can be seen and not heard
But every gardener has more than one secret
We watch the flower
Open to full bloom, full glory
And we collectively sigh
Again she reaches out for it, can’t resist it
She wants to hold it close
To remind it that we won’t hurt it
We’re only there to help it
Shake
The stem and my body, together they shake
They quake with fear, longing, anticipation
Fear-that in this moment something has changed
Longing-that in this moment something will change
Anticipation-that in this moment the seed will germinate
And next time

When I invite you back again
We can watch it all over again
The flower will be ready again
Spent
The flower begins to close
She reaches out to touch one last time
Covering it with its leaves
Sheltering it from the impending night
She kneels down close in the dirt
She holds it tenderly as she can
So not to break it
A kiss, she plants a kiss
Lightly, gingerly, without anxiety or sadness
But with hope and renewal
You pull her from it
You pull her close, her head on your shoulder
The flower, it releases a single tear

I’ll invite you back
You’ve been good for the garden
You and her, stand next to me and pull me up
We look at the leaves in the moonlight
We still have no words to say
I am worried
What will you say
When you find the words to say
She puts a finger to my lips
A sign
That no words will be spoken
I look down
She lifts my chin
As if to say, it will be ok, you will be ok
Tomorrow is another day
The flower will bloom again; all is not lost
Just remember it’s beauty and it’s wisdom
To shine for just a moment is better than not to shine at all
I see this in her eyes
I sense this from yours

Please come back
I need your strength; I hope you can read my eyes
Group hug, we all need each other
We’ll come back; your smiles say
We’ll come back another day
Hand in hand you leave the garden
Closing the gate behind you
Pulling back across it, the vines and ivy there
I lay on the blanket, alone in body but not in mind
I reminisce; I tease the moonlight, baring all
And
I move in silent rhythm with the night