The Tomato Seed

The Tomato Seed

By: Joy Ortiz

            A tomato seed, resilient and small,

Charted a course through unforgiving circumstances.

            Through unspeakable muck she traveled,

Carried by the unseen current, the cycle, the mess.

            Where was she going? She knew not.

Covered in residual sludge, she journeyed on

            Till time brought an unexpected question:

Could waste become life? Redemption?

            Into the process the tomato seed went, trusting.

Chemical treatment, separation, settling, and drying

            Took her through what felt like dying.

Crying out to the one who sees all, who holds all,

            She clung to the hope of life, as life

Crumbled around her. Lifted once more by the unseen,

            She rose, then fell again into a heap…of what?

Compost, organic waste, a fertile bed.

            What once was waste had turned to soil.

Clouds rolled across the sky, thunder announcing

            Life-giving rain. She soaked it in, softening.

Could it be? Could she grow? Tentatively, she reached

            A root, spearing downward, a shoot, pressing up,

Coaxed toward the sunshine warmth above.

            She broke ground. Up and up, the tomato plant

Climbed into the light and air, into the world.

            She spread her leaves wide,

Catching the sun’s rays as she sent yet more roots

            Down into the nourishing earth,

Caressing the soil which had borne her here.

            Her arms grew heavy with fruit,

Carrying the burden of flourishing.

            Ripe with fullness of purpose, she rejoiced.

Creator who sees, Creator who knows,

            All praise to the one who, in mercy,

Causes seeds to grow.