Seasonal Survivors...
An East Garden Reflection

Peach and Tux and Max
Make me sad and glad.
Somehow I’m drawn
to their plight.
Peachey comes running up the ramp.
She always has a story
But seems unable to tell it.
Tux looks weary—
tired of the winter’s cold.
Max is a cool cat—
always in charge.
He checks his surroundings,
with steady green eyes
and sturdy paws.
With a tiny smirk
he jumps onto the roof
of the box he claims,
As though daring it to cave in.
With shaky confidence he thinks:
“We survived another February,
Today we watched the ice melt.
We observed a robin hopping on our turf.
Sister Phyllis peered over our wall
While making her annual survey.
We know flowers will be planted
to make our garden beautiful.
The three seasons ahead strengthen our spirit
For winter 2008’s surprises.”

A lifelong poet and writer, Sister Rosemary Flaherty’s poems and articles have been published in newsletters and magazines including the Catholic Digest. For more than 25 years, she shared her love of writing with her students on both the high school and college level in the Pittsburgh region and at then-Carlow College—many of whom won awards for their work. She also served as chairperson for English departments of two high schools, as an advisor for student newspapers, has given writing workshops on journalism, initiated a language arts program for students with limited language ability, and from 1969-1971 was a participant in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) Title III Lighthouse project. Currently, Sister Rosemary works part-time at the University of Pittsburgh Health Studies Offices on the Cardiovascular Health Study.