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
Opal Palmer Adisa 