Nana and the Garden

The Garden is an exceptional place,
Where hands and fingers mingle with the earth;
And birds and butterflies sing songs of mirth.

My Nana and I plant peas, squash and beans,
Cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and corn.
She said she has always done this, it seems,
Before her marriage, and before I was born.

She loves to play, plant, and dig in the dirt;
Says gardening clears cobwebs from the mind.
I like to watch the Bluebirds and the squirrels,
As I gather all the rocks that I find.

Today we saw two bluebirds and two sparrows,
Each bird was choosing a house for their nest.
Since we have four houses in our backyard,
Oh, I wonder which ones will pass the test!

Our yard has many colored butterflies,
They flit in and out of all the flowers.
We also have bright crimson berry plants,
That appear to sparkle in gentle showers.

Today I took down, and cleaned all feeders,
Let them dry, then filled them full of clean seed.
Nana filled the ones for the hummingbirds,
With the right amount of sweet-water they need.

In the evening, Nana, mom, dad, and I
Sit together on our screened-in porch.
Outside, in order to keep bugs away,
My father will light our usual torch.

We laugh, and talk; we have a lot to say
Before we bid goodnight to the birds and squirrels,
And watch them go merrily on their way.
I bend my head in prayer for God’s gift
Of our garden - on this exceptional day.

Copyright ©2004 by Marlene Barth