Patience rewarded

When we first moved in, we weren’t aware 

This rose bush even existed: 

She’d climbed up into a holly tree, 

And what blooms she had 

 Were hidden in its branches, 

 Twenty feet above the ground. 

A wise and kindly gardener 

 Noticed a few telltale petals 

 That had fallen to the grass, and cut her back; 

There were no promises she’d survive. 

The next year we found foot-high sprouts 

Spread throughout the garden, 

But no blooms. In an act of faith, 

We put a fence around them all 

To protect them from the deer, 

And this year she has rewarded us 

 With a garden full of blossoms — 

A gentle reminder that the three P’s — 

Pruning, Protection, and, above all, Patience — 

May be vital components for healthy growth.