Identifying weeds
Knowing what to pull
What to leave
When
Is an art
Like living
Like today
Take the grass
Leave the dandelion
Pull or let alone the chickweed
From dampened soil
The cleavers and clovers
Medicinal dangerous useful
Invasive invaluable
Keep or clear
Skies still dark overhead
This is what I mean
To know the difference
Some leave noxious choking things
In their gardens
Just in case
But I know they will return
If they're needed
The good ones always do
The baddies too
They're all needed
When there’s more to learn
Something new to share
Fortify disturb disrupt reveal
A door left
Open
Seed dropped
Breadcrumbs
So I choose today
To uncleave
Lest tomorrow they choke out
The tender seeds I’ve collected
Chosen and safeguarded
Impatiently patient
For the time and space
To plant
Still struggling to take root now
The fledglings thirst
Hunger
Reach for light
Give thanks for dark
Emerge exultant
Outstretched finally
Enough space to become
Themselves
Jaclyn Edds Konczal | March 2022