When a friend or acquaintance says, “Let’s set a date.”
I write it down so I won’t be late.

I dutifully type it in on the schedule,
With workdays, engagements, and other essentials.

But to me the purpose of this written agenda,
Moves past doctor’s visits and lunches with Brenda,

Or speaking engagements, phone conferences, meetings
They all come and go, and are really quite fleeting.

But beyond my activities, lengthy or brief,
Are notes about stems, flower, or leaf.

For a garden geek’s calendar is something that grants
A reminder that we have appointments with plants.