MyThrive

I WENT TO CHURCH THIS MORNING IN THE GARDEN
by Rick Silver


I

I went to church this morning in the garden.

I went to look at the bees,
Maybe touch them as they danced,
Intent at their work,
Wriggling deep into the flower’s narrow neck,
Never knowing that a human hand caressed their backs –
A man’s hand,
But moved by the wonder of a boy,
Who could believe that these tiny creatures
Wanted him to know
Their intimate sweet world.


II

Perhaps it was my stillness
Near the bright red and orange zinnias
That brought the hummingbird
Buzzing over my head,
His tiny body finally resting
Only feet away
On the exposed wire of a trellis.

He watched me,
I know that for sure,
This intruder in his garden,
This mysterious presence,
Maybe a threat,
Posted next to the flowers he hungered for.

But this morning,
Caution trumped
Filling his belly with sweet nectar,
And he flashed upwards,
Gone in a whirl.
 
III

The stillness of the wind chime
Held its music like a cocoon,
Until I,
Leaning backwards on my bench,
Stirred it awake.

A tinkling burst
Emerged from its chrysalis
Like a giant orange butterfly
That swirled twice about my head
And flew gently
Into the morning air.


IV

Everything in the world
Bears God’s fingerprint,
A unique stamp
Where She rested
Her great celestial hand
Before running off to play
In some other corner
Of the universe.