life gave me all of its lemons
some more bitter than the rest
yet somehow i forgot
how to make lemonade
and invited an unwelcome guest

they sit at my table well-dressed,
grab a lemon and pick at the zest
until they reach the core
and lose their appetite
at the acidity they try to ingest

then i served my lemons compressed
added sugar afloat at the crest
they sipped on the liquid
then got to the bottom
and expressed their aching distress

now we plant orange trees to contest
all the yellow lemons that possessed
my citrus Eden
with fruits and flowers
and now sweeter juices to digest