a brown-skinned man
take a white twenty gallon pail
from his landscaping truck,
fill it with water,
and haul it
fifty meters to a
newly planted shrub.
Unhurried,
he built a berm of soil,
so that not a drop
would miss the mark—
the thirsty roots
of this tender life.
His gentle pouring
was paced
to the shrub’s capacity to drink,
slow and patient.
He stood with the emptied pail
and watched, monk-like,
the soaking of soil.
This was no job.
This was a practice,
a love affair,
blurring the line
between giver and receiver.
I imagined
our Earth community
receiving a love like his—
to see what is before our eyes,
and cherish what every being can become
by the nourishment of reverence
poured out upon the lives
that are ours to tend.
He was not finished.
He turned his unwavering attention
to two other fortunate shrubs.
(I thought I heard them
singing at his approach.)
Beads of sweat now mixing with water,
the greening ones
now trust
this daily labour of love,
this consistent attunement.
They’ve learned the pleasure of anticipating
with each approaching dawn,
the arrival of this salty love
and shamelessly nurse.
The good folk
of this gated community
walk past the Mexican every day,
not realizing that the gracious One
has sent them a guide
to lead them home
to an unprotected life
of devotion.
That is beautiful!
Howdy Bruce,
Nice piece!
Did you stop e-mailing us when you update the blog or did you kick me off the list?!
;^)
Don
Thanks Don,
Just temporarily suspended newsletter, but will be back up and running shortly. You’re number 1 on my list!
LOL!
Wow, Bruce
The wonder that your eyes took in and the deep appreciation that your heart beheld are beautifully reflected. Exceptional! Thank you.
So much abundance, huh? Thanks Deborah
I agree!, and I couldn’t have put it better myself!! Just beautiful.
Happy it moved you Phillip
What a truly beautiful peice. human beings are truly amazing
Thanks Joyce
blurring the line
between giver and receiver
absolutely beautiful, thanks for painting this picture
a pleasure Linda
Sacred! Attuning to our rythems looks so simple in your poem. Profondly moving , thank you. I feel blessed this morning as the clounds thicken and the crocus are the shining ones. I was just contemplating your need to be that gardener as your being finds a new depth, rooting and shining, all one.
Peace,
Meg
Thanks Meg…coming from one who knows how to attune her rhythms to living things…
These thoughts stir up a deep emotional response. Thank you for the observation! Karin and I enjoyed meeting you at Mel’s. Hope to have you back at LOG in the future. I will copy your thoughts and give them to my friends in the gated community, if this is alright with you. Evelyn
Glad they resonate for you Evelyn. Yes, it was good to be with you. As well as copying, could you direct them to the the website. Thanks
Hi Bruce – sounds like the heart of gardening. Have you read “The Secret Life of Plants”? it covers a lot of ground but has some fascinating views of the life of the plant world. Thinking that i might have missed the point a bit but the love of plants is a special thing (not very common in my profession unfortunately). i like to hold my hand over the plant – not really sure why or whether i can feel anything but i do it and it feels like saying hello I see and feel you there and you are alive.
all the best,
Jim
I haven’t read that book Jim, although it’s long been on my list. My father, a gardener told me about it when it first came out. Good to hear from you.