There’s no flowers
in this broken garden
just trellises of promises
that blew away
since you’ve left

the sunflowers cut their yellow
sullen heads
and the petals fallen off like mosquitos
come the frost
even the dandelions stopped trying
they’re just ornery sticks that ***** the parched grass
it’s turned grey as ash since you
went away and the apples

on the bough that once were well endowed
have fallen to the ground
like my ma’s
*****/everything stopped blooming
even the rain spits relentless
at the thought
of what was