Autumnal Mums

Chrysanthemums of September

poem by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

On a warm first of September,

with Willow’s harness in my left hand,

I carefully carried home  in my other arm

the yellow chrysanthemums,

one at a time.

Each bud was as tight as a baby’s fist—

waiting to open to the new world.

I never felt such tight buds,

but the plants had just arrived at Metro Market that morning.

My friendly florist took the right-off-the-semi mums

From the storage room to the front of the store for me.

I lifted each one and embraced the chrysanthemum

like an orphan

being taken to its forever home—

to Its forever garden.

At my townhome’s gardens,

I decided to split the sibling mums—

one joining the south-facing porch garden

and one adorning the north garden.

For days, the buds held tight,

but eventually began to relax in their new home.

After a six-inch rainfall

gave way to the next morning’s sunshine,

the chrysanthemum plants happily blossomed

into the bright and cheery bridges between summer and autumn.

When the October cold snapped into the autumnal air,

I placed the two mum plants side by side, like twins,

onto the front porch aluminum bench.

Thus far, the beautiful blossoms survived two threats of frost.

So, still, Willow and I can pause beside the blossoms,

each time we pass by,

to caress the peppery-scented, cheerful flowers

that let me hold onto

precious yellow summer

one blessed day

longer.

* * *

Enjoy the gifts of these autumnal days!

Alice and Leader Dog Willow

October 12, 2022, Wednesday

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