Living With Lavender

I have lavender growing in a beautiful pot,
resting on my front step, inviting strangers to stop.
It sways with a beckoning wave to come in,
please knock on my door... any one

I sit on my porch and smile at passer bys.
I warn them of the broken sidewalk that threatens their stride.
I wait for their approach,
I crouch behind my friendliness.

A “good day” is not enough
to stop their hurried walk.
They have no time
to stop and talk.

I woo them with wit and charm,
they continue on as if fleeing harm.
I wear my loneliness like an arm band
and everyone sees it

There is a concrete obstacle
between them and my porch.
To venture down this walk
they must cross on their own.

I yearn to share my personal voice
to make a connection with the struggles of others,
to find comfort and encouragement
in our shared human experience.

Thank all of you for your flags and stars. I hope you will take the time to reply with your thoughts and perspectives. As an old man and young writer I would value your input. Thanks again and peace to all.

Beautiful prose of unconditional love, so often unheard in today's world, these words of higher realm,
Only the response feels incapable of reaching such heights, of yearning this connection.
But the being is here, escaping no bounds of common decency,
Through these fleeting moments pass great wraths of knowledge,
Heard only in dreams, but forever retold.

a reply to: grayeagle

Ha ha! The bitter, bitter irony!
I flagged you because I loved the poem, it conjured up a sense of Boo Radley, John Irvine - that very particular American style of writing - which I happen to love, I should add.

Your poem about not crossing the boundary to come in and say hello should really have opened the floodgates for people to well, come in and say hello.
I'm still wondering why I didn't and whether that's about me or the poem. I needed an extra invitation to come in. Hmm. Let me think some more about this, but still it was a superb poem - fully sensory, right down to the sun on my face..

a reply to: beansidhe
You are always welcome to come to my door! I post in a number of places but it seems here on ATS that I receive the most response. I have been on a search for some time to find like minded people who desire to connect at deeper levels than what we normally experience in "normal day-to-day activities. Thank you for your very kind words and your willingness to respond to my invitation. Peace to you my gracious friend.

a reply to: grayeagle

Really nice.

As a kid, I knew all my neighbors and people would wave at each other. Nowadays people ignore one another, too busy with their personal lives to get to know the people you live and work around. If I sit next to someone I don't know, I'll always smile or say hello (unless they give off bad vibes) and tend to get strange looks.

You expressed the message beautifully in your words.