The rogue gardener
plants incidental apple seeds
into (what would otherwise be)
an unused plot-
for many months- he reluctantly tends
the equidistant earth
with a heavy hoe
and (barely wet) watering can-
as the ground gives life and his seeds
begin to grow-
he poisons the roots, so the blossom
cannot fruit.
Author notes
1
In a list
A contest entry
- ~ 1st Round ~ of 5 Rounds ~ Anything goes 1st Round - 30 or 40 entries will advance to round 2 - Time is running out~ HURRY! by Florida Sunshine.
450 points, ended October 28, 2007, 36 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Blank Cheque by sca.
777 points, ended November 1, 2007, 48 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - 4:44 - a n y t h i n g by the chase.
900 points, ended October 26, 2007, 45 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Cleaning out the closet [My Favourites Only] by Naridill.
425 points, ended November 9, 2007, 38 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - whatever II by leander.
575 points, ended November 16, 2007, 36 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Prewrite Festival: Round One [For My Favorites Only] by Tangled Angle.
490 points, ended December 8, 2007, 21 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Enter Your Best! by Metaphorist.
600 points, ended February 7, 2008, 33 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - ANYTHING SHORT by Blooming Poet.
400 points, ended March 7, 2008, 105 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - apples fell by likeforeignpost.
300 points, ended June 7, 2008, 5 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - something's there by Lavender Butterfly.
550 points, ended November 4, 2008, 14 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Your Best Three Pre-writes by piccola.
800 points, ended November 27, 2008, 140 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - NO MORE ENTRYS. by Ginger Woods.
700 points, ended January 1, 43 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - 1000 tr0phies! wh00t! by amaranthine lover.
1750 points, ended February 17, 111 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Gold I by Salty Hibiscus.
400 points, ended February 19, 24 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 48 of 48
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What happened right here was...a task done and a ladder climbed above the task, to glory, I presume.
I've to warrant such opinion, so allow me to:
Many can try writing turgid literature or even standardize ideas which articulate to naught- save the obvious.
But not you I see.
With meaningful subtlety of breezy verse, purest contemplation, classy ponderings and fine Poetic talent, 'The Rogue Gardener' is exceptionally inimitable as it is dark, cumbersome, nasty, coarse, and in-your-face…
Beautiful
If it lacks something, then my review lacks it too, because I don't see any shortcomings here whatsoever.
Unlike yer Rogue Gardner
Sadder is he for his inadequacies
'...incidental apple seeds...' -Whew!
Brilliant
Keep well Alex,
'Anna
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I like the ending, good luck in my contest
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I was reading along quite happily until the end. Do you have reasoning for this or is it just a mad muse at work? It doesn't matter ... thank you for your entry
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How vividly creative and deeply meaningful... x
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Thid is good, but not amazing. It doesn't pack enough of a punch for thwe length given or lack of it. Beautiful words, just not a standout pack a punch poem in my eyes. I'm sorry if I offended you.
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You really like to enter a lot of contests, I see. Great extended metaphor. Thanks for entering.
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this is different
and i liked your ending alot -
This is good. I love the third person narration, it's interesting to read- and is a nice change from the typical "I" "I" "I" poems I've been getting. Thanks for entering and best of luck.
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Excellent Write. Great imagery in such a short poem . The opening line draws the reader in . Congrats on the trophies the are well deserved. Oh also great use of words
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You definately managed the draw the reader right into the poem with your opening line. You have a very good use of metaphors here, and I like that
Also the words between brackets are a great and nice detail to this
You have done a great job with this poem!
Thank you for entering and I wish you the best of luck!
Leander -
"a rogue gardener
plants incidental apple seeds"
The opening line alone puts me in awe. Wonderful piece
Thanks for sharing.
Virgoan
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I love this~! The imagery such captivating yet beautifully sad.
Thanks for entering and much luck
~~~!
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Good job and good luck!!!
/q-pid/ -
Prompted by BorntothePurple:
You're getting gold, don't change it. -
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Aw, thank you so much for the gold, i'm thrilled! hehe, some people criticize for telling, other people want told, you can't win, thanks again,
Floorboards. -
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I think it's better leaving some up to the imagination. What would Holmes have been if he'd deducted the plot to the reader in the first chapter - half the point was you saw the light before him.
(alright, a little off topic)
And thanks for entering I suppose, and I would have responded earlier to this if I hadn't just been writing up another contest.
(when I know full well exams start Wednesday... but it's only year 11)
g'night (or good day?), I'm off to bed,
=> Jess
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you are writing about my mother I just know it... wait how do you know my mother....=) Beautiful and left for people to see the one who does this.
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Well, this is intriguing. Very well done, but it leaves me wanting more....can you give us more insight as to WHY the gardener does this? Something about his personality that makes it seem a bit less senseless? I did like it though.
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bad gardener bad!!!
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Keep up the good work poet! I so enjoyed this work, my favourite lines were:
for months he reluctantly tends to
the equidistant earth
with a heavy hoe
and (barely wet) watering can-
Thanks for entereing.
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An interesting write to be sure, quite an unexpected ending, left me wanting to read more about the why's of it..Bless you...Scott
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The "Murdering" Gardener, more like it, eh? Seems like a metaphor for particular aspects (or people for that matter) in society. I could be off, sometimes am.
A good poem that you have written here.
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What the hell. What an unexpected ending.
I love the imagery, the vocabulary, the short and sweetness of the poem. It's well written and everything looks great. Love. -
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I just read everyone else's comments on this piece and I love it all the more.
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incidental parenthood? obligation, and thus minimalist neglect?
I can see a number of interpetations, how-ever my first was of a night not intended to mean all that much on his part resulting in a pregancy, an obligation to support at least the minimum, and thus only the minimum support for the child. If there were even a minimum to be put on love and care.
very clever metaphor, what-ever your intention,
=> Jess
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You were spot on with you ideas on the poem by the way,
Floorboards.
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I have the feeling there is much more to this piece than meets the eye. It is a thinker type poem, very deep in other ways~ Nice job overall I did enjoy it~ read it twice
Thanks for entering my round contest ~ good luck to you. -
Why does this sound erotic or relationship-like to me? Am I wierd? Hahaha. Stupid question. I don't think i'm totally wrong though? Great stuff.
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Wow..glad I stopped by (always am)..this is awesome, a great "thinker"..This can be applied to so many situations. LOve the incidental apple seeds.
*hugg*
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Nice poem! The last line is great. Thanks for entering.
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wow so intense this is...UNique and beautifully done
Lynda
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this is great a really love it,
can you explain the last line please Alex?
he poisons the roots, so the blossom
cannot fruit.
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I love this one. You could apply almost any situation and the metaphor would fit. It's ace. Could I ask though, why you have used 'equidistant'??? The best bit of this for me, was the barely wet watering can and heavy hoe. Alex my honey bunny this is most excellent. Janice
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aww this is so sad, the promise, the matrix type plot (nice play by the way) and the hope is a wonder upon the mind, and then the intrigue the reasons of the unheard unseen shadow of poison leaves the reader with a mix of life that is very high whispy windy cloud....
anyheys nice zen
w chai and choc
-JAS
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I enjoyed this poem a lot, with it's twist at the end. After reading it a few times I realized the hiden meanings in this cleverly written poem. It's fantastic. Keep writing my friend because you're very good at it !
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Wow. Deep, man...and very beautiful. Why didn't you tell me you posted something else? I've been waiting for you to IM me. Hmmm...note to self: hunt down Alex and find his work...
The last two lines were really what got me. This poem is like a car getting up to speed. First you rev it, then you get to 60 mph, then to like...some crazy speed. Well done. I enjoyed it TREMENDOUSLY!!!
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Excellent
Your visuals of metaphors leaves this reader lost in her imagination. Double innuendo's and such hidden meaning. I get different takes on this...the abandonment of a child with parental cries, The cries of love within thy own heart once you start to open and allow, then ripped up as easily as planted the first true seeds of intimacy. (This could also be with yourself- as in intimacy and love for oneself) I could go on but instead prefer to wish you all the best Alex and well..
you know
I just got to give them clappies!
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What can I say
Sorry about that I decided to think a bit more before jumping in with a snap comment.
My brother was put into that very situation. He stood by his Fiancee, but she rewarded him with vitriol and hate 15 years later.
Your poem reminded me of that.
I haven't seen my 2 nephews and niece for 20 years.I am now a great Aunt as well.I wouldn't know them if they passed me in the street.
It is a sad society we create for ourselves at times.
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Thank you very much.
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I saw this just after u posted. (unfinished) without the author notes (i prefered the mystery).
could have so many different meanings to the reader.
The last two lines are like.. bang bang..
nice one.
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I really see the broken parenthood here, this is a short poem but very much emnotion lies with in it, it has a great deal of saddness to me, my favorite part is, "as the ground gives life and his seeds
begin to grow" this poem was very well laid out, best wishes, michael -
I like the story in this and how it is a metaphor for broken parenthood. I believe part of the problem in our society is that we don't really see any value in fathers. Fathers dish children off to their mothers believing they are not needed. They are there to fertilize the egg and that's it. Of course, I believe such an ideology is a recipe of dysfunction and ever fatherless child grows up feeling deprived of love. What a sad state of affairs it is for children today.
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Fabulous
This poem was wonderful, so many hidden meanings can be found in it. It was very intresting to read. Keep up the gd work ^-^
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What! I didn't expect it to end so tragically. This was touching. Lovely work.
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only the tough will survive this gardener
i thought of the gardener as being a parent as i read this. i also thought of how we can be our own worst enemy. how many times have i had a good idea only to talk myself out of it by predicting failure? too many times.
solid write
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I was pulled into believing this was about (those godlike???)politicians who rule over us. For me it works just as well that way as in the fatherhood mould.
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I found this so sad...this could be looked at from another angle. Parents have the gift to either raise their children in a happy carefree arena, or in a deprived hell hole, sadly some choose your "rogue gardener" way. Cleverly written, Bravo
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Wow Alex, This was a great read. Yes the rogue gardner there to guarantee the cream of the crop. Great subject my friend. Very original. Bravo !!!!! X 1000. You take care, Sandy
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