The Garden In My Yard

His Garden Part I

I heard of your garden

Lavish with growth

The warmth it’s providing

A life of its own

The colors colliding

With firm green frame

Pathways well trodden

A peek showed the same

Many find refuge

Solitude's home

A harbor for souls

An oasis for hope

I’ve heard of your care 

The great love and attention

The endless hours

The gift of  its offering

Sweat on the brow

Humble knee bent

Nature’s own way

A waiting well spent

Not only one hand

Has planted its seeds

But one mighty hand

Winds through its leaves

Growth is abundant

For nature knows well

From the damp of the fall

To dark winters revenge 

Through the cool spring rains

As the earth gives way

To life in its splendor

And to colors vast array

The inconspicuous movement

Of life’s subtle growth

Lies under the beds

Preparing for birth

To safely be freed

In mornings warm light

Is hopes deliberate message

The mystery of life

I heard of your garden

You give it away

For those who receive it

Give one pause on the way.

By Cliff Kretkowski

May 2, 2006

Cliff is a dear friend who wrote this poem after a visit to my backyard 8 years ago. He captures the heart of my garden. It was put in just after my brother, Mark, went to heaven and my life came crashing down. My coach from High School, Paul Limmer, encouraged me to dig up the yard and plant.

Shortly after a dear sister in the LORD, Sue Fliss, gave me this a card with this verse:

The Garden has been my therapy,

Here among the flowers and the bright fruit,

when the light is brand new and everything is fresh and wet

and the leaves are beaded up with dewdrops,

I work in the household of nature

and refresh my spirit.

It seems to me that every weed I pull

is a bit of grief I am learning to set aside,

a tear I've weeded out so that

Good cheeer can grow again.

You are always welcome.