Restore

It seems sudden, but isn’t,
the overwintered bulbs that pop
thrust and burst into bloom overnight.
This is their shortest stop,
a flourish, a visible high point
in the business of their life—
soaking up the sun before the trees come into leaf,
storing reserves, thickening the bulb
on which everything depends.
We treasure the flowers, but this is their gift—
to bloom without replenishment
shortens a life.