January 2, 2022 - My Garden has no Weeds

My Garden has no weeds.
This concerns me.

My other garden has weeds, a great many of them.
I’ve pulled them, so the flowers have more room to grow.

But this garden, this one,
It has no weeds.

The soil looks black, full of life.
But there are no weeds.

A pepper plant and marigold struggle
Even with the gift of rain in the last week.

I walk on the garden, the ground squishes,
It does not feel right

Something, in spite of appearances,
Is missing from the soil.

There is enough nourishment for the two plants
That survive

But only twigs remain of the
Others I planted

I go to my compost and drive my shovel down
The smell of good earth,
growing things
Rises up.

This is what the garden is missing. I add the
Compost to the garden, mixing it in
With the black, empty soil

I hope I am adding nourishment
Sustenance, nutrients for the spring.

With a little hope, I rake the ground flat
Not perfectly flat, there will be puddles
From rain, from watering
But flat enough

A little change, a little improvement.
If it doesn’t work, I’ll try again
Perhaps I will see weeds in the garden soon.