The Garden

We planted in twos

Tiger lilies and hellebores; hydrangeas

With blossoms like confetti, beads

Of snapdragon, lavender, and

Tomatoes—so many tomatoes—

More than we could ever eat

We let them ripen on the vine

We planted in twos

As if we knew a flood was coming

Seeds sewn into the hems of our clothing

Hemlock and poppies

Witch’s bane, rue, and pennyroyal

And other things we’d found or collected

Along the way knowing

They would sprout up

One day if we were to fall

We planted in twos

—Okay, sometimes threes, but who’s counting—

To create a sense of place

One meant to last beyond

The two of us, planted

Like tiger lilies and hellebores

Rue and forget-me-nots

Into the well-trod earth