My payoff for patience

By Marilyn Jones, Schoolcraft’s Poet Laureate

By my back door, a tiny garden stands
On legs, so rabbits can’t get at it,
I kept watering two broccoli plants
They grew huge leaves, bit by bit.

I was discouraged as I could be
My son said, “Be patient, Mom, you’ll see,”
Sure enough, green plants appeared one day
Nestled among the leaves, and I thought, “Hooray!”

I watched them grow awhile
Very proud of my efforts and
Anticipating the results with a smile.

On Saturday I cut one plant
Then rinsed it at the kitchen sink,
Cooked it with a little butter and salt
The best broccoli I’ve tasted, I think.

So Monday I decided to have another treat
Cut the other plant, wishing I had more,
After rinsing it well, I boiled it
With butter and salt, just as before.

Yummy, it was delicious
I would enjoy the last, big bite,
Picked it up with my fingers
Saw something, it was a worm alright!

It was the same shade of green, an inch long
With little ridges, but I saw two tiny eyes,
Was on the verge of popping it in my mouth
Yuck … I don’t like this kind of surprise.

If I were stranded on a desert island
I’d be happy to gulp it right down,
Not today — I wonder if there were others
I scraped that camouflaged critter
Into the garbage can … with a frown!