Garden Dreams

Tufted white-tops on pale beige staggered-stalks, the coneflowers crowns dressed the perennial bed; leaning precariously against the conical mushroomesque birdbath. Snow, soft and wet wrapped the grape arbor like ermine; making trellises reminiscent of Kanji on a blank page. Fragile, frozen, flowers hung decoratively, from frail clematis twined about cedar posts. Brittle brown maple leaves, left behind by autumn; drag branches draped, as in bridal lace to the frosted tarp; defying winter to do what fall could not. Conifers cried under the weighty white down. Their limbs straining not to crack, surrender, snapping to attention as the day warms. The snow plops pleasantly to the ground. Winter waits patiently as the garden dreams.