for Gritchka, by request
"Wait by the Azalea"
she said~
so I did
as the afternoon melted into early evening
and the gardens became dark shades of green
with crickets singing lullabies.
She strolled up behind me,
putting quick hands across my eyes
"Guess who?"
As if I couldn't guess,
over my shoulder, with her soft laughter and the perfume of her affection,
sweeter than lilac, as clean as moonlight.