weeks of planning 
drawing out a pot 
with theoretical layers 
of earth and gravel 
took notes on 
lightning and temperature
worried over the money spent 
on a project that might fail 

I pulled the trigger 
brought home bulbs 
in a mesh bag wrapped
on the gray-blue Walmart bags
with a large pot 
my cat watched as I placed 
thick squiggling earth worms
shiny things burrowing 
into the earth 

the next morning 
I found the worms 
as hard leathery curls 
crisp, stiff, dead

sprouts broke through 
rose upward
curved thick stalks 
a single leaf began to unroll
my heart swelled 
the cat waited minutes 
after I turned my back
ate all the leaf

I created a mesh covering
that lasted two days 
cost me another leaf 

so I stood 
the special pot 
on a stool 

and all was well
until she-the cat 
brought the dog running
knocked over the pot 

my wife 
named her well