Marge Piercy

Flowers to meditate on

The rhododendrons I planted
the first year I lived in this house
are huge now, making a rhodo
forest with white, purple, pink

flowers big, gorgeous. heavy.
The bushes ask almost nothing.
They don’t get tended, watered
in drought.  In winter’s cold,

their leaves curl into papyrus
scrolls. But every June they
give and give to us walking
 a slow path through their glory.

Why can’t I live like them, asking
little, giving whatever I can?

Marge Piercy has published 20 poetry collections, most recently, ON THE WAY OUT, TURN OFF THE LIGHT [Knopf]; 17 novels including SEX WARS.  PM Press reissued VIDA, DANCE THE EAGLE TO SLEEP; they brought out short stories THE COST OF LUNCH, ETC and MY BODY, MY LIFE [essays, poems]. She has read at over 575 venues here and abroad.