Planting apricots

 On the land I planted apricots
In Portuguese they are called damascos
Like the city in Syria
A place where they were once traded apricots

The grassy expanses house those little shrubs
thick and water thirsty
dried grass seed heads limp and brown
fresh new shoots near the base

I pulled it out in clumps
Dug through the shallow silt
Into the deep rude clay
poured soils bark and sand

Then I poured water from a jug
I blessed the roots
Capilliaries became thick underground arms
And every year I was honored with a harvest