Raking in the Community Garden

She picked out mulch
from the disorderly pile
I had raked out from
garden beds covered in
last fall’s leaves, carefully
returning each piece
to the beds.
Like a small steam shovel,
I continued raking the next
set of beds, making more piles;
mulch, gravel, leaves, stalks,
pulled weeds, casting a slightly
apologetic glance her way.