The Garden Restored

There are times when the garden
we lavish time and expectation
upon with spadework and primping
sits meekly before our satisfied
inspection. Neatly arrayed as we
planted them to reflect our vision
of the well-tempered garden, the
shrubs present as cheerfully
presentable, the trees appropriately
leafed, the flowers present and
seasonally accounted for, predatory
pests taking their leave and our
aesthetic is nicely soothed with
the trim display, the luxuriant
texture, the amazingly colourful
array, lulling us into arrogant
complacency. Then comes the
assault of a torrential thunderstorm
whose thudding downpour on the
tender sensibilities of flowering
vines, the delicate blooms of roses
and perky annuals leaves a
graveyard of drenched petals and
torn foliage ... bleak mourning.
But the fiery sun emerges and
stokes its resuscitating renascent
fire upon the pathetic carnage
and beauty reveals its triumph.