Sunday, December 27, 2009

Poetic Interlude: Garden Variety Metaphor

A friend sent pictures of her vegetable garden and berry patch--lush with green growth.  Sometimes I think of this blog as a garden in which I plant thoughts about education, writing instruction and poetry.  If some of these thoughts feed you, as they do me, wonderful.  If not, that's OK, too.  My Oklahoma friend with the garden and Wendell Berry have helped me learn the satisfaction of the soil.  Working the ground is both productive and pleasurable.  To quote a related quatrain from Marge Piercy's poem, To be of use:
     I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
     who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
     who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
     who do what has to be done, again and again.
Although composed with heavier imagery than a berry patch, these lines capture the satisfaction of working to produce.   In other words, I enjoy tending this garden-blog.  As you pick a tomato thought or a blueberry observation, or as you simply wander through the dirty leaves, I hope you enjoy the time, too.

No comments:

Post a Comment