Sunday, March 25, 2018

"GODS GARDEN"

"Gods Garden"
by M. Slater

It is hard to love a garden well
once you've actually lost one,
watched it destroyed,
first by neglect,
then dug up,
discarded.

It was a real beautiful space
eight X twenty plot on the
Epiphany church plaza.
Emily named it first:
"Gods Garden"
for worship.

In dreams sometimes I recall
the long line of black sage,
its miraculous blue
just springing up
annually, lasting
past first frost.

Golden Coreopsis in profusion,
branched and spreading
as regular as the moon,
drought tolerant,
brave and true.
So reliable.

Emily was the first creator-Mother.
When she retired I kept up.
Twenty years with her
fifteen for me alone;
thirty five years
of loving care.

All the weeding, pruning, planting,
seed spreading, mulching,
feeding liquid seaweed,
watering labors, love,
so suddenly
gone.

This sad story has a happy end.
It was the right time for me
to let go and move on
and I would not trade
one millisecond of it
for a pot of gold.

I have the image of field daisies
glowing in the dark city night,
nothing so rewarding as it.
Oh, scent of Phlox blooms
perfuming mornings
shamelessly!

I can still feel the softness of ferns
holding waving stands of Astilbe
and big cone flowers too.
There's dried fever-few
in musty closets
still working.

Every garden is a grand cathedral,
an altar dedicated to the earth.
From simple flower pots
to window boxes to
little patches or
full acres.

I retain the whole of the experience
in every single cell of my being.
All I gave, gave me more.
The light in my eyes
is sunrise held,
sunsets too.

If you're wounded or well my friend,
go to a garden and join in.
Bring friends as well,
share what is good.
Give it away and
nothing is gone.
~^~

10 comments:

Mo Crow said...

a beautiful ode to your garden

grace Forrest~Maestas said...

such love in these words...i can SEE as you remember and
yes, nothing was lost to your heart, and now mine too

Peggy McG said...

Beautiful. The conjured smell of tending a garden is one if my favorite memories.

Hazel said...

I can feel how this garden, and now its memory, fills you richly.

Anonymous said...

I love this poem and all it conveys -- the sense of time's passage and faith in a legacy being transferred. I love the language about the sage, the coreopsis and the 'field daisies glowing in the dark city night". Nice! would love to read more of your writing...

Deb Lacativa said...

I'm reminded that I have the space that needs my love and attention. I have been neglectful.

Anonymous said...

as they say, time began in a garden. i'd love to sit in a garden with you...

Su said...

Beautiful lament. It was a beautiful garden and still is in this poem.

jude said...

beautiful. and i love how the verses are shaped like flower pot, or baskets.

Nancy said...

Michelle, your deep love of this garden will live on in all of us who have read your words or seen your pictures over the years. Thank you for sharing this love with us.