A wee clump of grass grew
in a crack in a kerbstone
alongside a busy road
in Belfast.
A wee dome of green spikiness,
only inches tall,
in the midst of bitmac, tarmac
and kerbing.

A wee green dome of beauty,
really!
I loved to see
this wee clump of grass
on my evening walks.

Then along came
an Irish summer.
First of all, the rain –
torrential and flooding,
half-burying the wee clump of grass
in mud.
Followed by a drought –
weeks without water
that caused the wee clump of grass
to wilt.
But the finishing touch came
courtesy of Belfast City Council
when one of its road sweepers
swept my wee clump of grass
into oblivion!

Oh, dear!

Now it’s autumn
with its gentle, warm
September breeze
and soft rain.
And guess what has returned?
My wee clump of grass,
all green, beautiful and spikey,
swaying slightly
as cars and articulated lorries
speed past!

Seeing it there makes me smile!

And it makes me wonder …
you know those times in life
when God doesn’t seem
to answer your prayer?
Could it be that sometimes
God isn’t saying, “No!”,
He’s simply saying,
“Not yet!”?

© Claire Murray, 13th October 2025