Canvas

Today the sky is gray.
The Crocus have pushed up through the snow.
Dry crab grass is tangled in bright green spring leaves.
It is best to pull weeds in the rain.
The damp Earth releases her treasures,
Allowing me to decide what stays and what goes
I pluck the dead crabgrass while studying the new leaves
The first year I pulled up some Grape Hyacinth by mistake.
I watched the leftover Hyacinth bloom and noted the leaves to remember next year.
Two years ago my neighbor thinned her Iris.
I took the leftovers and planted them in Spring and some bloomed this same Spring.
The year after the Iris bloomed
But this year there are no leaves.
I look closer at the muddy ground 
And see circling each original root are several baby Iris.
I watch the leaves, carefully separating wanted from unwanted.
My Chrysanthemum patch is slowly spreading
From seeds I gathered and dropped multiple years ago.
These Halloween flowers make me smile, come October,
When flowers are scarce and remind me to buy candy.
My canvas of time, wild and bright.