They sat out on the doorstep
in the late sweet-scented glow
of early springtime twilight
Anyone would know
just by the way they were rocking
that they were in good accord.
That's the only way you'd know it
for they never spoke a word.
At last he shifted a little
and said , real casual like,
"Guess it's time for painting."
She gave her chair a hike
and said with no expression,
"Why paint the shed this year?
To do the house 'd be enough
with everything' so dear."
She added gentle-like,
"Twill likely save us fifty-odd,
right sensible 'twould appear."
He roused at last and slowly mused,
"That's a mighty fine idea."
She smugly smiled to hear those words.
She felt at last content
For now her flowers would be safe
Since that was what she meant
when she mentioned leaving the shed undone
she'd had no thought of the cost,
but she knew the color would be barn red
and her hollyhocks be lost.
Now she'd look forward to flower time,
for against the old brown shed
her hollyhocks would look real good
for they were white and red.
She'd studied the book to find the seed
She'd dreamed for two whole years.
She could see them against the unpainted shed,
sometimes she'd been close to tears
just thinkin' of the way they'd look.
Now they would bloom and grow
and why George saved his "fifty-odd"
He'd never dream or know.