Sometimes in life
we find ourselves
in the weeds
the place
where plants grow unwanted
prickly
pernicious
pesky
weeds
flourish in the worst conditions
tenacious
tense
tentative
we look around
and feel overwhelmed
the to-dos
pile up
the uncertainties abound
worries fears swirling round
our heads like gnats
bees
buzzing problems
in our ears
we yearn
for dew dropped roses
for delicate peaches
ripe on a tree
for sunsets glowing colors
spreading forth
in a banquet of delights
for sweet peas in the spring
when green and lush
and fragrant
with last night’s rain
nourishing and sparkling
on the delicate petals
but instead
the unwanted plants
emerge
strong roots
many seeds
sprouting all at once
in their evolutionary advantage
in these moments
in the weeds
when it feels
beyond our control
overwhelming
take a deep breath
or two
close your eyes
calm
and when you open
perhaps the world
has changed
not a drastic
transformation
of fairy tales
but just enough
a sliver
that you see the beauty
in the
flowers blooming
pernicious
persistent
persevering
you bow your head
to their resilience
their ability to survive
to flourish
in spaces
others can’t
and you see the magic
the mystery
of creation
even in the puffs
of a dandelion
or in the delicate taste
of the borage flower
in your mouth
or the bright yellow
of the primrose
and the tobacco plant
we lost its name
related perhaps to some native plant
now weeds all
but each
serves
another purpose
when seen in a new light
we shift
and recognize
that we cannot
live in a fairy tale ending
that much of life
exists
in the weeds
trudging
working
head down
sweat dripping
exertion
rest
and look
and see
new ways
that beauty still surrounds
that life persists
even
in the weeds.