Weeding the Garden By Edie Meade

Weeding the Garden

common weeds sprawl outstretched to me: 
spurge, henbit, cocklebur, red dead nettle
nursery-rhyme names that remind me of my mother

she wanted me to know their names
to know that even the lowliest living things are named

my work releases childhood smells: 
bitter, oaky, earthy breath, the squeaking protests of stems
who do not agree with my claim to cultivate

there’s a kind of love in tending 
weeds, in knowing their names

Edie Meade is a writer, artist, and mother of four in Huntington, West Virginia. She is passionate about literacy and collects books like they’re going out of style. Say hi on Twitter @ediemeade or https://ediemeade.com/.