Intentions for her summer’s bliss
like backyard carcasses remain
in mother’s garden something missed
her faulting memory, my pain
But still she save her garden tools
it looks the same throughout the year
unused remain among the stools
appearance as a thin veneer
She says she will the roses tend
and tell me that the spring will come
but something’s are too late to mend
she’ll never be a garden mum
but now we celebrate her day
a put some color in her gray
Today at dVerse poetics Shanyn wants us to take a picture through the window and write poetry about it. I’m visiting my mother, and took a picture of her garden mess – she won’t let us clean it. So it stays like this most of the year. We will celebrate her 85th birthday later today.
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January 11, 2014
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Judging from my experience, we won’t change our own parents’ habits. But I find there is also comfort in their stable environment. Happy birthday to your mom, Björn!
i am glad you are putting color in her grey…and celebrating her today bjorn…i know that makes her feel special…happy birthday mom!!!!
hey maybe you could tend the garden for her as your gift….smiles
Very touching poem, Bjorn. Your mother probably finds comfort in the familiar tools & pots & truly plans to use them again. I think it is a good thing that she still has hope and plans to tend her roses again. Perhaps this hope gives her some joy, which is no small thing.
Best wishes to your mum, Bjorn. And as I always say to Peder (my husband), don’t mess with a person’s tools!
it’s good you have the chance to be there and put some color in her grey..it must be tough for her to want to tend to her garden and no longer being able to… have a wonderful celebration
This touched me deeply Bjorn!
Magnificent 🙂
She sounds a lot like me… good intentions, but… Happy Birthday to your mom!
Cherish every moment with your mother, Bjorn–I lost mine when she was only 39. This poem, rife with rhyme, is very touching; kicking up some emotions in my old eyes; nice job.
Roses and Mum great combination – Great words and a great day. Best wishes
Happy Birthday to your Mum.Hope you took her some roses!
awe, putting some color in her grey… how sweet… happy bday to your mommy!
Mothers as mothers be, wouldn’t want to trouble their ‘little boys and girls’ (in their eyes one still is) Happy birthday to your Mom. Nice write Bjorn!
Hank
Happy birthday to your mom Bjorn ~ My mom has sorting projects to do, that she have never completed in the years ~ I like your picture too ~
“she’ll never be a garden mum” I read the wordplay on the mom and Chrysanthemum, seems to be a poetic interpretation of the saying that a mother’s work is never done
Best wishes on her birthday Bjorn – your poem took me back to the memories of gardening I used to do as a child – gone are those days!
this so reminds me of my mother… she holds dearly those familiar things.. come to think of it I do as well.. 🙂
Lovely.. and happy birthday to your mum. She likes her garden just the way it is, and I think she’s entitled to have it her way on her day! 🙂
Happy birthday to your mother. I can understand why she will not let you clean up – those tools are her treasures. They are within her reach when she wants to use them. They are a comforting presence where they are. 🙂
Special moments with your mother. I hope you both enjoy. As for the garden…at least she’s out there!
A lovely way to pay tribute to your Mum. We all long for the colour to come back!
She must find comfort in the memories she has of days spent in the garden and in the hope of one day getting her hands in the dirt again. This is a very touching poem. Happy Birthday to your Mum.
Hope your mother had a wonderful birthday yesterday. The picture and poem go together perfectly! I must confess that I tend to be like your mother and don’t do much in my backyard…
Yes, a touching poem…she no doubt would love to be a master at gardening..some of us have green thumbs, some of us don’t..did she have a rose garden at one time? Hope she has a great day..
what a joy to celebrate with your mom- the memory will be precious – and loved her garden mess! K
This made me smile (^_^)…there’s a neighbor down my block whose back yard has a similar look.
Happy Birthday to your Mom, and yes sometimes they don’t want us messing with those things they wish to go back to, even if it is only in their minds. A touching piece Bjorn and I could really get a sense of your feelings in the words and the image just really finished it perfectly.
Hope your mum had a wonderful birthday…a lovely tender poem and must say my garden gets a bit like that! 🙂
At that age life is nothing short of a celebration and nothing long of a change! Warm birthday wishes to her
My mom came to live with us this year, so her messes are now are messes. Her sight is poor, but she still does pretty good. Her main thing is she doesn’t want to be a burden, and not just that; she wants to contribute. We celebrated her 80th with a Caribbean cruise.
Love the poem, Bjorn. Quality stuff, as usual!