Planting Time - Mia Doi Todd

I lose track of minutes

I lose track of hours

Planting my spinach and cauliflower

In my backyard

Not so long ago

I watched time spin around on my wrist

But now time goes as slow or as fast

As the fish pulling on my line

Wildflowers grow

And I think they know

That their sons and daughters will appear here next year

Once again, they’ll be here next year, once again

I lose track of days

I lose track of weeks

Watering my potatoes and my leeks

From the creek

I watch the birds swoop down and catch

A fish or a worm as they wait for their eggs to hatch, to hatch

The redwoods grow so slow you never know

But then rings can tell us things w’d never know, nevr know

Oh yeah, rings can tell us things we’d never know

I lose track of months

I lose track of years

Harvesting my turnips

And oiling my gardening shears

There’s no time for love today

Too many things from above in the way

But I could have sworn that this was worth more

Than a sigh amidst a tornado

No more tears in my ears, lying awake

No more fears, restless years of heartache

But I could have sworn that this was worth more

Than a moonrock planted on the moon

But there’s no time for love tonight

One last hug and kiss goodnight