Poetry in the Garden

I've been thinking recently about integrating a new pathway into our garden. The possibilities seem unlimited--curving, perpendicular lines, wood planks, slate, gravel. Thinking about our engagement photos (we're taking them next week!), we walked through our local park tonight and I remembered how much I love warm evening light across walking trails. Something has me reminded of the end of John Ashbery's remarkable poem "Meaningful Love":

I got rid of the book of fairy tales,
pawned my old car, bought a ticket to the funhouse,
found myself back here at six o'clock,
pondering "possible side effects."

There was no harm in loving then,
no certain good either. But love was loving servants
or bosses. No straight road issuing from it.
Leaves around the door are penciled losses.
Twenty years to fix it.
Asters bloom one way or another.

(Images found here and here.)