Jim just loves to garden, yes he does.
He likes nothing better than to put on
his little overalls and his straw hat.
He says, "Let's go get those tools, Jim."
But then doubt begins to set in.
-from the poem
The Definition of Gardening by James Tate
Our back garden is tired of waiting for the Autumn garden to be put in.
I sit and look at the bare, dry soil. I make mental designs and a map of the future garden: the tomatoes will do best in pots again; the jalapenos grew well potted, too. Hmmm, do we need more pots, or should we just plant the rest of everything in soil? We are saving the west wall for vines - no crops there. So where is the lettuce going to grow? The fava beans? Is there a good spot for the cucumbers? Or should I just skip them again this year...Cauliflower? Chard? Broccoli?
"Horticulture is a groping in the dark
into the obscure and unfamiliar,
kneeling before a disinterested secret,
slapping it, punching it like a Chinese puzzle..."
The complete James Tate poem is at
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=179853
11 comments:
I am tired of waiting for Autumn, too. It's still too hot.
It will eventually cool off and you can plant the lettuce and the spinach. I'd plant the tomatoes now and take advantage of these warm temps. They like hot and they'll get off to a good start! I got a contract on my house today so I'm going to have a positive attitude and say it will go through and I will NOT plant winter tomatoes this year! Drats!
Ha, Kathy - time waits for no one! Plant the tomatoes so you can move 'em with you! How exciting that the house contract came thru!
Out this way, all we can do is dream about winter crops. 113 degrees yesterday. I went around in a snit.
Are you still in triple digits there? If so, I guess the garden must wait. PS I love cucumbers!
I envy your being able to plant a fall garden. Around here, everything is starting to die off for the winter. It's depressing!
I'm jealous that you can actually grow things, there!
The poems are great!
me to on tired of HOT. come one winter, blow a little cold air this way. beautiful photo of your watering can.
What a great poem..
Dad said we need to get out Fall garden in too..
Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie
Your garden sounds more like a working farm. I've been punched by the chinese puzzle; not the other way around.
Interesting to this non-gardener, sounds like planning a piece of writing. Or other art, even more so.
". . . the me who so loves to garden because it prevents the heaving of the ground." Do you know what Tate means there? I don't.
Careful that Hannibal Lecter doesn't get those fava beans.
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