Angry Garden

everyday terror
soaked up
like a seed in an angry garden
until the fear is indistinguishable
from the plant
is the plant

a lifetime of washing
can't remove the welts
and a lifetime of heartfelt apologies
can't put the plant
back in the seed
to grow again

and who would want to, anyway?

so we put on the gloves
and once more
turn to tend our own garden
and hope
that the mistakes we make
are our own