The Street Gardener

A green-thumb manifest destiny up and down the block.

Jamie gardens the street,
figuring few others do it,
so why shouldn't she!

Not the concrete
nor the curbs,
but those precious square gaps
in the sidewalks 
where some cities plant trees
and in other places 
they fill up with weeds, 
random tufts of crabgrass
and debris.

Jamie’s green thumb at work.

Jamie's been at it
a long time,
taking great pride
first in her side
of the street,
on her block, 
right in front 
of her and her husband's home,
which looks quietly
down the hill 
into the city 
and beyond.

Over the years,
she extended her reach,
a kinder, gentler
green-thumb manifest destiny,
roaming house to house
with trowel and watering can,
lending a hand
to any and all plants
that have grown accustomed
to her loving attention.

Civic pride 
runs deep in Jamie,
right down to the curbs
and crosswalks,
and parts of the street
most people walk by
and take for granted.