Friday, July 12, 2013

Poetry Friday -- Gardening

Creative Commons Photo by Mary Lee Hahn


RECLAMATION AND EXALTATION

The air is cool;
sun sits low behind the trees.

My tea is hot;
one last sip before I start.

The garden is large;
weeds are plentiful and vigorous.

*   *   *

I turn my head slowly;
two hummingbirds argue over coneflowers.

I sit back on my heels;
chickadees and bees ignore me.

I stand and stretch;
the air is hot, the tea is cold, the garden is weeded.


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2013




Michelle has the Poetry Friday roundup today at Today's Little Ditty.


18 comments:

  1. You make it sound like the laziest and nicest of times, Mary Lee. I can see it clearly.

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  2. This poem exudes satisfaction of a job well done! I really like how you measured time passing with the cup of tea getting cold.

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  3. You always choose the most lovely of concrete details, Mary Lee. Those arguing coneflower-hovering hummingbirds! I hope you enjoy the fruit of your labors... Happy PF... a.

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  4. Ah, those plentiful and vigorous weeds! I like the spareness and specificity of the details you shared - just enough t o understand the passage of time, the experience of the task at hand.

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  5. Anonymous12:42 PM

    Today is the perfect day for weeding. I love that you had so many critters to keep you company while you worked!
    Catherine

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  6. Even the title of your poem is lovely! How nice to be ignored by the chickadees. You are an accepted part of the garden.

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  7. Anonymous4:09 PM

    "two hummingbirds arguing over coneflowers"... love that Mary Lee. I really enjoy reading your poetry. I look forward to every visit to your site when notice of a new post comes to my Inbox! Your choice of words is always special :-)

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  8. Nice form and use of strong images. I wish I felt like this when I weeded. I'm afraid my poem would include some harsh words. Not my favorite pastime. Your poem makes me wish I loved gardening.

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  9. The details captured in your poem allows the reader to take a familiar task, weeding the garden, and bring it to life in a refreshing way. Nice job, Mary Lee!

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  10. Beautiful poem! It *almost* makes me want to go out and weed my garden! = )

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  11. I watched each moment of this in my mind. I even did a little stretch too at the thought of sitting on my heals that long.

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  12. Early morning gardening is such a satisfying way to begin the day -- I love the title, because I know how it feels to win the weed battle!

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  13. It's Friday night, I have my time for wondering about Poetry Friday. Your poem reminded me not to focus on the buckets of weeds that I have pulled and will be pulling again. Perhaps it is the tea. I shall try that tomorrow morning.

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  14. I love the contrast of before and after.

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  15. Love the contrast in this poem, starting with the title, then all the way from beginning to end. Bet you came back (I'm thinking you are home by now, right?) to lots of weeds.

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  16. I really like the imagery in your poem, Mary Lee. Hope gardening is as pleasant an experience for you as your poem was for me :)

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  17. Hi, Mary Lee. I feel a little guilty reading your poem. It's been so hot here in Maryland, the weeds have been left alone to party in our flower beds! My favorite line is the arguing hummingbirds -- I can see them.

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