Saint Malva deliver us

Every year about this time or maybe exactly on this day the weeds in the graveled, non-gardened section of the backyard have gotten head-high to a malamute and the mallow (malva sylvestris) leaves begin to turn mosaic yellow. The dog would often be seen crashing through the weeds with a wild look in her eye, about this time of year when spring fever is just peaking. Later we would pull those weeds in the name of tidiness but not before next year's seeds were already sown.

So our thoughts turn to Saint Malva,
patron of weed seeds, hidden potential,
shelter dogs,
vacant land, marginal business propositions and things that sprout in sidewalk cracks
as this spring slides
into dogless summer
we can only hope the good saint will protect us and help keep alive
the spirit of wild innocence
that was our friend.









R.I.P.
Suki Thompson
Spring 1996 -- March 19, 2010