Under Foot

I remember the rosebush

That climbed up the front porch

And filtered the afternoon sunlight

Onto our laps where it curled like a cat

That was wrapping its tail in its paws for a nap.

I remember the effort

It took to remove the decades old

Underground kingdom of roots

That anchored its visible network of thorns

To the earth where its petals

Would fall one by one

Under foot.