Bougainvillea

A gift when the yard was bare

a few leaves on two narrow stems
sold in a potting container
hardly worth the effort it seemed
but dug the hole anyway
making sure to pound the roots
on the ground to loosen the binding
affect of growing in a pot for too long.

As expected all the leaves fell off
seemed to be forgotten in the summer heat
but by next spring green sprouts along the branches
and in no time red purple flowers adding
a surprise of color in the yard. 

Visitors complimented the beautiful plant
while it sent out shoots and increased in size
taking over the wall by the neighbor’s fence

like barbed wire with sharp spikes
had to keep the pets and children away
making it difficult to trim
arms were scratched and bloody
but each trimming made it grow back
bigger and stronger than ever.

My husband wanted to dig it out
a job that would never be done
I was seduced by its lovely color
pleading for it to stay
I hired a gardener to do the job
he doubled his fee the next year.

It still grows out in the yard
stands over six feet tall and ten feet wide
I think back to the day when it was small
I could have ended it before it began
by refusing the gift, or tossing it out
after it was given.