When Nothing Grows

You planted seeds in ground infertile

Watered her with salt, tended with hands unclean

And kicked yourself when nothing grew.

Each day you prayed for sun to feed her,

Fill her with the love that you could not manufacture

But in hopes of rain and bags of mulch

Negotiating with cracked earth

The ground that freezes over with every word

Pleading for the chance to try again.

And maybe things aren’t meant to grow here,

Or maybe you’re unfit to plant a garden.