Poem: ‘Putting the Garden to sleep’ | Letter

Published 9:57 am Monday, November 21, 2011

A poem by Chelsea Cates, Orcas Island Schools garden keeper.

legions of hands

busy little hands

putting the garden to sleep

hands holding rakes

hands holding shovels

loosening the soil so deep

hands harvesting grains

hands harvesting vegetables

to share a good winter stew

hands pulling up plants

hands turning compost

hands starting a new pile too

the days grow short

the days grow cool

time of the tomatoes has ended

time to harvest leeks

to pull out popcorn

the last of the harvest is splendid

let’s take apart

the pole bean tunnel

and store it away for the season

seeds have been saved

seeds will be shared

there’s major and many a reason

we’ll plant fava beans

seeds we collected

where the carrot and radish did grow

we have more seeds

of cover crop

a living blanket we’ll sow

the compost pile

is built with stalks

of amaranth, buckwheat, and sunflower

we know that death

of summer plants

means plant food with next year’s sun power

kale and chard

remain through winter

as desired for a garden snack

we’ll build those burritos

instead of Cheetos

green healthy snacks we won’t lack

we sing

our garden to sleep

with our final chatter a roar

we finish

tucking our garden in

as we close this sanctuary door

we’ll say goodwinter

to you dear garden

to the plants and life in the earth

goodbye dear garden

would thy dear garden

wake once again near spring’s rebirth