New Beginning, New Day

The Lady Under The Pink Rose Bush

As a kid I thought her spirit was inside the house.

My parents did not know I hid in the corner listening to them talk about her,

the lady under the pink rose bush.

Playing with my apple lighter that was broken,

it made a click noise that never failed to comfort me.

Click, Click, Click, each time I pull out the fake stem faster,

expecting to see a spark ignite- filling the room as huge as my father's laugh.

Click, Click, Click, any moment now- I keep waiting,

sure that the next time a flame would appear.

Spirits see flames don't they? I always assumed they did.

I needed the flame to get her attention,

then maybe she could help me get even with my "friend",

who lives 4 houses down the street from me,

the girl who taught her dog to pee,

on my hand every time I tried to pet him.

His pretty black eyes looking at me so sweetly,

as gorgeous as a cup of coffee to the caffeine addicted mom,

who spends her night rocking a new born baby.

His fluffy fur as soft,

as the cotton candy that is shared with a couple who just started dating,

laughing at the tickle when the sweetness melts in there mouth.

I do not laugh when the stinky, pale yellow, liquid runs through my fingers,

or when my mom carries the soap bucket into the yard to wash my hands off,

the sticky soap going up under my fingernails and I smile at the bubbles.

Somehow it was always my fault my parents would scold,

saying I should not try to pet him.

I nod my head I won't do it again,

until the next day and my mom has to go get the wash bucket yet again,

the homemade soap smelling of coconut and lye- an aroma not much sweeter than pee.

Until the day they put my friend's dog behind my friend's pine tree,

He won't pee on my hand anymore and I was sad about that- so I cried.

Now years later I sit holding a big glass of Ice Tea,

looking out the window at the pink buds soaking in the rays of sunlight,

thinking about the apple lighter sitting on the table in my room,

I pick it up and just for old time sake pull out the fake stem,

sighing I still believed there would be a flame,

but no glow was there, only darkness.

Click, Click, Click I repeat and smile til I see a faint shadow,

out the window in the woods right next to the rose bush.

a fleeting moment when a woman playing with a fluffy dog,

looked up at me and waved.

In a flash as quick as lightning,

it was over and they were gone,

but not before the lady behind the pink rose bush waved at me,

oh yeah - I waved back.