April fool

a warning popped up on my weather app 
a bright red dot drawing my attention away  
from the burgeoning green 
rapidly overrunning winters dread 
all flotsam and jetsam left from cold and damp 
as Spring fills in gaps with bud and flower 
covering each edge of the garden 
with new tender morsels 
of Aprils unrestrained promise
pink azaleas just beginning to bloom 
japanese maples with their frilly blossoms
blueberry bushes holding clusters of future fruit
camellias scarlet buds, ferns fiddleheaded,
newly sprouted grasses tender as down

then the red dot on the weather app
Frost Warning, April fool, it may all be gone tomorrow

a path, cleared

If I gave you advice
you would not take it
as I would not

If I told you all those lessons
hard learned
bruised and tear stained
you would just brush them aside
only to hold fast to your own
pinned ribbon of woe and sorrow
pain and fear

But this I will say
and take it or leave it

you are a wonder, a creation of great worth
a beloved, well suited for your life ahead
you are strong and mighty
stand up and move forward

the path is cleared