To Kathy on Her 80th

After Eve and Adam left their primal home,
Eden fell asleep. And while it slept, it dreamt,
And conjured up
A future gardener. Such a one
Could plant a unity, a blend of earth and heaven
As existed long ago.

Such a one (as Kathy)
Could photosynthesize the light of hearts
Into the very oxygen of love.
We breathe her fragrant garden scents.
Behold her green varieties of kith and kin,
A glorious bouquet! Like petals
We gather round her stem to honor her,
To celebrate her birth.

How kind, how generous of ancient Eden
To patiently beget its echo here, its Kathy.
O happiest of happy birth days!
She is our mother, sister, friend
And in her garden, we are home.