The Flowers Welcome the Queen

THE FLOWERS WELCOME THE QUEEN Spring returns to my garden and the Golden Queen Once again warms everything she touches. A little girl comes barefoot into my empty garden one day. Her hair floating in the wind gets caught on my thorn hedge, But she pushes past the barrier, and makes herself at home. She passes by my roses and her tiny fingers make daisy chains. She leaves my pathway and her unprotected feet mark my soil. Somehow my garden is filled with her presence Now moving in the grass green growth - Meeting morning’s sunny face, my little girl’s growing - She’s planted there, showing more roots each day - Helen - in my garden of wild flowers, their leaves Enfolding her tender years. My adored daughter, My child, running through the deep butter meadow, Young knees yellow with topaz dust, marks my soul. She gazes at all the smiling saffron rays-of-sun petals. A field filled with dandelions’ bright amber glow; And bursting with energy she chases a butterfly and tumbles, Giggling, into a crowd of elegant marguerites, splaying their Neatly-displayed petals in their starched ruffs : The heart of whiteness shining in the early flower of life. She bends to count the spots on the ladybirds climbing The stems of the coltsfoot. The leafless coltsfoots, in greeting life, Offer their radiant lemon fingers full-spread To welcome back the Golden Queen of heaven. ..................................................................