Ten months of every year I tend a garden,
stooping to the work at hand – clearing, feeding, coaxing.
All too rarely stepping back to admire
my gently curled fiddlehead, Amanda,
on the verge of her grand unfurl,
Billy, my steady scarlet runner bean
finding a path of his own.
And while I turn the soil,
ready the ground,
tend the edges,
my surroundings flourish in spite of me –
Johnny jump ups,
touch me nots,
the climbing abandon of sweet young Rosa rugosa.
I busy myself all right –
pointlessly trying to restrain the continual blare of Brian, trumpet vine,
transplanting the quiet deep blue of spiderwort
against the shockingly sun drenched coreopsis,
watering, watering, watering my ever thirsty Jimmy,
of the blue eyed grasses.
And in the frenzy of it all,
I sometimes miss the steady show of my day lilies
or the tender violet of Jamie,
blooming quietly in the shade.
But in June, I lift my tired eyes,
step back to marvel at the wonder
of this largely unkempt splendor,
and I’m reminded –
Like most things in nature,
they do best when I don’t overstate my importance
and I do best when I don’t overlook theirs.
Author notes
Actually, they're young teenagers, but still they're my tender seedlings ..
Option 9..
Written June 11th, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- Class is In Session by .
310 points, ended October 1, 2004, 6 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 31 of 31
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this is beautiful and written in a very unique way in a metaphor manner I love in poetry nice job
love and light
blaze -
This was a truly worthy winner. Great stuff! --Dee
Edited on Oct 01, 4:09 p.m. because 'typo'. -
Chris, this is certainly an unique comment from a unique perspective. "last person I woulda expected to be a poet". You've got me curious now as to why not. (and now I'm wondering what a poet looks like... ha hah ah) I'm not sure whether that is a compliment or a slam. lol
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I like it.. I really like it cause the girl i love is mentioned in it!!
your rather good.. your the last person i woulda expected to be a poet... (hope mine can be as good)
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Kind sir, I am humbled by your praise.... and skipping away smiling.
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I don't know what I was expecting but I don't think I was expecting this. If this was without a name I don't think I would have picked you as after a while there are writers here who have an instant style. There are other poems where i could say it was you-instantly. This writing warms me like very few and at the same time chills me with it humanity. This is such a great bit of writing in a very different style. I just loved it
David
PS good luck in the comp- this has to be up there -
This is very well done, the best in the world, children.
It's society and parents that can ruin them.
Mine was a mood thing, how my eyes saw the dark that night.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
Pb -
Oh, this is beautiful. I just love it.
You are so good. I love the imagination
you put into your writes.
Bravo
Cindy
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And repeated reading in no way wilts the bloom.
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bravo...let me guess, you're a teacher
(big stretch...huh?)
it's been over a year since i retired from teaching
after 18 years
so as you can imagine, i read this poem with delight
complete understanding, and much respect.
will be bookmarking this one...it is a read often kind of poem!
~liz -
Very cleverly written. So gentle yet powerful. Great write. Thank you
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wow.
that was some crazy stuff.
I really liked it.
porpies. -
Awwwww... thats so cute! Hehe at first i thought you named your flowers, which is kewl, but then when i read the comment i was like OoOOoo
hehe lol. That was good!
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To be able to recognize and understand the daunting steps of daily life - and then stand away and describe the emotions so perfectly is a rare gift... You have it.
The descriptions of children were scrumptious:
"on the verge of her grand unfurl";
"the climbing abandon";
"tender violet of Jamie,
blooming quietly in the shade."
An extremely beautiful write.
Thanks. -
The metaphor is excellent. The flow, emotive qualities and punctuation are perfect and it is grammatically correct throughout. The piece is filled with a loving wisdom from experienced learning, just how to give and teach respect where it is due. I loved the tenderness in the piece and enjoyed the read immensely.
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AWESOME!
AWESOME WRITE!!! I have a brother that just graduated from kindergarten. This was a poem that really made me think of how the teacher feels at the end of the year, something I had never stopped to ponder before. Thank you for this excewllent poem -
awesome write!!! it really put kindergarten in a whole new perspective! i'm still very good friends with my kindergarten teacher, she was the only teacher i ever liked, let along bonded with. I know alot of people think kindergarten is pointless, but as you showed in your peom, it really is a time when the kids can grow and become aware of their school before going straight into something that might be too hard... very very well written, i like your stlye!
~*~Chasm~*~ -
passionvine,
I blush at your kind request, but of course, give you my permission - with a giggle of delight.
Jane -
Superior
This is very wise and profound poem in its imagery and philosophy. Could I have your permission to print it and use at my next department meeting.
"Like most things in nature,
they do best when I don’t overstate my importance
and I do best when I don’t overlook theirs."
Is a motto I plan to post on my office door. -
Beautifully written and very clever the way you use flowers as equals for these wonderful seedlings of youth, great imagery and it is a real pleasure to read.
thank you for sharing
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The poem in it's entirety is a masterpiece but it is your closing lines that cinched it for me . How blessed our little ones are to have teachers such as yourself , you are an example to all . Enjoy your summer , refresh and return in September to tend to those tender seedlings with love and devotion
Reenie
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don't think I've ever read anything by you before, but after this, I think I should. 
this is an excellent piece, and I enjoyed it much!
O
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this was very, very nice. the picture you give us here about the relationship between you and your kinder garden students as if they were seed that you plant and feed and water to see them grow to a bright future. that was just LOVELY!!! i hope you show this to those you mention here(and probably you must have, already, probably...). it's very nice to know you are so caring. you know, nowadays it is very hard to find such a caring teacher like you seem to be. keep on the good work!!
peace, Enid. -
This is a very pretty picture. And it is amazing how you were able to be so explanatory in a poem of all things, and do it with such ease and flow, and never having the reader feeling weighed down. I don't know how you did it, but you sure did it well!
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Hi,
This was a great write, you have done so well here. Well done and thanks for sharing. Best of wisehs to you and yours
Blue moon
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Flawless.
Dear Jane,
That is a most appealing piece of writing. Your fondness for your juvenile charges is only equalled by love for your garden and it is therefore fitting that you should combin the two into this horticultural tribute to some of your 'kids'.
As usual, written flawlessly. Applause!!
Love and Hugs, XXX Hugh. -
cute how you turned your students/children into flowers which brings in an extended metaphor of students and flowers and how we continue to grow through nourishment of others..
--loser comment on my part thanks to my english teacher--
overall, great job!
-naive -
I really liked this write. What an ingenius way of expressing your feelings for these kids. Your vivid imagination shines through. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work! --Jenn
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Lots of great imagery. It kinda gave me an insight into you. Your very caring ain't you and sensitive. Lovely write
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That's an amazing work. You are completely successful. I enjoyed it. Never stop writing.
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Hello there. What a pretty picture you have there. That is an awsome poem. I like it. It is truly amzing. Great write. Keep up the good work and until next time, take care. God bless you too. Peace and love....
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