Lily Lost

stepped into a lily ready to bloom;
was only one of the two of its kind.
I vainly hoped it was only bent,
with its seven full buds promising.

But, no, the severed base of its stem
showed the fact that I hated to face.
This promising beauty now was no more,
though placed in a large water-filled jar

The hours passing by revealed its demise;
it turned brown and shriveled; it was dead.
Now, why would I hope at all for this plant,
with the evidence so obviously shown?

Well, would you believe this? Two years ago,
this very same plant, broken to the ground,
disappeared, believed just totally dead,
emerged the next spring, a new plant

So, I don't say it will, or that it won't,
but won't grieve as I would have before.
I'll treasure the remaining lily more,
and have hope for a surprise next spring.

The remaining lily plant has twelve buds,
as large as the seven beauties I lost.
"It could have been worse," often is said,
so I'll just treasure that which I have.