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ODE TO A GARDENER
He loved to garden, her father. He understood the land
He didn’t just have a green thumb…he had green fingers on green hands.
When it came to plants he was a wonder…boy…could that man grow things
When asked why his garden was so beautiful…he’d humbly say…I know things.
I know a gardener needs to respect his land
I know he must be kind
which is why I take only what I need
and leave the rest behind.
I leave some of what I grow for Mother Earth
sometimes I leave half..sometime two-thirds
to feed the insects, the deer, the raccoons
the rabbits and the birds…
To all the creatures and to the land
I leave behind a little food…
It is a way to show them my respect
to spread my gratitude…
I often find it is easy, he said
to thank the sun, the rain…the breeze…
because most of the time in my garden
I’m already on my knees…
Yes…her father had the most beautiful gardens…
he understood the land and how things grew…
but perhaps the biggest reason was how he adored the land
and how the land adored him too.
