Trees and Bushes

A connection to my father through greenery

 

Trees and Bushes, A Birthday Tribute

 

We began with trees and bushes,

our connection forged in greenery

not severed by death.

Was I four or five or six

when I followed the mower path

to pick up moist grass clumps?

The pickax came in handy to dig great holes

for curbside sugar maples.

Forsythia and our patio’s thick-vined arbor

helped make the yard complete.

 

The next house formed

my long held prejudice

against the roses and messy trees

you criticized, the Chinese elm

a target of your barbs

until Doris or Agnes or some other storm

blew it down and blocked the street

leaving its great limbs prone

awaiting the town’s chain saws

to carve it for firewood.

 

We worked together in this yard,

planting a row of hemlock trees

digging ditches for a sprinkler system,

growing and loving the mimosa

saddened when it died of wilt,

planting, weeding, trimming, mowing;

I learned to do it all with your guidance.

I knew how to make things grow,

how to capture nature in a yard,

how to find peace in planting.

 

I carry your hows and whats with me

when I spray dormant oil on peach trees,

when I add ash from winter fires

to help my plantings grow.

I alloy your instruction

to my artist’s sense of form and color.

My urge to grow chaos into beauty

is welded to your meticulous

graph paper drafts of gardens,

drawn on my mind’s canvas.

 

As I look at buddleias and butterflies

at climbing roses I’ve overcome

your prejudice to purchase,

at the happy weeping cherry

you got for me at my request,

as I plan my next trip

to Cheap Sam’s nursery in your memory,

I know where our paths cross

where my life comes from yours,

where I remember you most.

Reviews

[Eric]

How can a poem with the words "forsythia," "hemlock," "mimosa," and "weeping cherry" be anything but beautiful? Seriously. This piece is verdant with a hint of sadness.

For those of you who read this I strongly suggest that you do so three times. Like a yard in the gloaming, you simply must slow down to enjoy the beauty of Trees and Bushes.

I'm glad you sent this to me David.

[Shannon K.]

This was beautiful. Even though I didn't know all the plants and what they looked like, I could still picture this exuberant and lively garden filled with all these colourful plants mixed with different bugs and stuff. I love how through the garden, you were able to share the relationship you have with your father and how, i'm assuming from your poem, he passed down his love for gardening to you.
This was a great write in every detail and every word written.
Great job, and have fun in the gardens!
S.k.

[[untitled]]

i liked this a lot david and a well written tribute...

[PianoandPage]

wow. so as the first poem to read after my return to the wonderful wc i must say i am not disappointed at all! such fresh imagery, great use of alliteration, an easy and storytelling flow....

some of my favorite lines -

"planting, weeding, trimming, mowing;
I learned to do it all with your guidance.
I knew how to make things grow,
how to capture nature in a yard,
how to find peace in planting."

"I carry your hows and whats with me "

that last line especially reminds me a little of e. e. cummings.

a great read! good job.

[Gary H]

Thats wonderful - a great piece of work. Endearing to me as my dad is so fascinated with his garden and I have taken on some of his ideals by planting my own flowers and vegetables - I guess to show him that I have learnt something from his guidance. Sounds like Tony agrees with this as well. Really enjoyed reading.

[Antony]

Absolutly beautiful David. I am sure your father is really pleased to hear this tribute to him. It sounds a little how I would remember my dad as well, he gave me that same green thumb that I am very thankful for. Our fathers were great men.
Tony

[C. Harter Amos]

This is both beautiful and sad. I love the way you have connected with your father and remembered his birthday in a way that is so much a part of you both. What a fitting tribute and well written as always. - Mimi.

[Barry S. Maltese]

They say that writers write best what they know best, or what touches them most. This poem is definately proof of that addage. My greatest moment in life came when my children chose, on their own, to copy a tradition that I had picked up from my father as a very young child. Your honoring your father with your green thumb is a wonderful way of keeping him alive in your heart, and your garden. Then on top of it all, your wonderful poem here is a fantastic way to keep thriving the memory of his ability to keep nature thriving around your house.
Great write!! and a belated Happy Birthday

[Gandré]

I like the idea, how you remember designing with your father the garden. It is beautiful. I liked

My urge to grow chaos into beauty
is welded to your meticulous
graph paper drafts of gardens
drawn on my mind�s canvas. ------------ very soft and amazingly pretty

as I plan my next trip
to Cheap Sam�s nursery in your memory,
I know where our paths cross,
where my life comes from yours,
where I remember you most. -------------------- I adore it how you said this, so pretty. so pretty.

[Nathan Strange]

very personal here, i liked it, thank you for posting.

[Randall Richard]

nice personal piece. perfect amount of detail. i enjoyed it very much.