My daughter digs up worms
from the old garden and moves them
one at a time to the new one,
her love of animals clear
in the way she carefully cradles
each one in a bare hand
letting the worm squirm
wherever it will across
her palm, keeping the other
hand below to catch it
should it go too far in any direction.
My wife plans, plots,
decides, directs number,
width, depth, selection.
I dig, set in place,
carry water. Together
we make again a garden
to tend, grow, sustain
us.


From Sky Full of Stars and Dreaming (Redhawk Publications, 2021).
Used here with permission.