the almond tree that houses

my meditation tea house

has decided that she wants

a new green dress

and I’m okay with that

as a woman

i understand the desire

to change things up

flaunt what’s left of

your beauty

see if heads still turn

when you walk down the street

but this woman is messy

instead of just giving away or

tossing the old dress

she has been for the past week

cutting it up into small pieces

as if to say I am done with you

but since you did look good on

me once

me go tek me time

and peel you away

–red firy leaf after leaf

strewn all over the floor

and ground–

so you remember me

daily as I sweep

these bits of her former self

i nod in salutation

and  me tell her

girl me see yuh

and me overstand

how as women age

we have fi go on bad

to get just a little

attention

but she nah listen to me

so me sweep

so she toss

another bit of her old dress