Original Version & Revisions

At this brusque onset of winter
it's strange to smell lavender
spike my nose as I trim off soft new-growth
sprigs before the frost sets in. Grey
strips the color from the sky,
but not the tangy sprays of scent
as I snip off blossoms. There are snips
of seconds when I forget I won't see you.
It is as strange to me as catching
the unexpected scent of summer
when the weather has turned and most
of the plants in the garden have shut down
for the season. They cannot be changed;
winter cannot follow spring or the new shoots
birthed by the warmth of longer days
would be chafed by frost. I will weave
the cuttings into a lavender heart
and hang it in my kitchen so the scent
of summer can linger.

December 2007

A slight revision:

At this brusque onset of winter
it's strange to smell lavender
spike my nose as I trim off new-growth
sprigs before the frost sets in. Grey
strips the color from the sky,
but not the tang off the blossoms as I snip.
There are snips of seconds now when I forget
I won't see you. It is as strange to me
as catching the unexpected scent of summer
when the weather has turned and most
of the plants in the garden have shut down
for the season. The order cannot be changed;
winter cannot follow spring or the new shoots
birthed by the warmth of longer days
would be chafed by the cold. I will weave
the cuttings into a lavender heart
and hang it in my kitchen so the scent
of summer can linger.

12-13-2007

And yet another slight revision after workshopping:

At this brusque onset of winter
it is strange to smell lavender
prick my nose as I trim off new-growth
sprigs before the frost sets in.
There are snips of seconds now
when I forget I won't see you.
It is as strange to me
as catching the unexpected scent of summer
when the weather has turned
and most of the plants in the garden
have shut down for the season. The order
cannot be changed; winter cannot follow spring,
or the new shoots birthed by the warmth
of longer days would be chafed by the cold.
I will weave the cuttings into a lavender heart
and hang it in my kitchen
so summer's balm can linger.

12-14-2007