to lean on

i have a garden
in which i plant things
that you will never see
in the quiet morning
i will tend the garden
and nourish the plants
you will never see
they will grow and die
returning once again to the earth
from which they had sprung
all the while you will never know
all the happenings of my garden
for you friend
are a tree no longer under my care
your branches grew wide and tall
and your roots struggled to fit
you once filled my garden with life and colour
the rich aroma of your leaves blanketed me
and i found comfort and relief in the shade your branches did once provide
but the sun filtered poorly through
and everything below and around
struggled to prosper
competing eventually for the light
i saw this tree die
from the roots up
my garden truly had no room for it
so now
there is a space in my garden
where you once stood
and as i water the pansies
that attempt to fill the space
you left
i remember the times i lent against
the strength of your mighty trunk
wondering if ever i will find another like you
to lean on