A Gardener in New England - An Opera
12.2023
tick tock, tick tock
One heart tough as bone,
two feet on the ground shuffle.
One parcel of land relieved,
one clump at a time.
Two hands fold out a blanket of gold,
one heap of decomposed meals
cycloned with cracked eggshell and
a dozen warm winter worms.
tick tock, tick tock
Sun spills softly through shades,
and green sprouts dance to grow,
whilst clapped by wings of bees.
Patience is a slow grant for hunger.
tick tock, tick tock
Two feet on the ground shuffle.
They’re wandering at a loss.
Mountains of water are falling,
and gold is turning to green moss.
roar, roar
We want greens, we want tomatoes,
carrots, chives, and potatoes.
We want greens, we want tomatoes,
carrots, chives, and potatoes.
…
crunch, crunch
Upon the sun and rain, carnation blisses,
crocus bulbs crush in chipmunk hands,
sweet lettuce folds between deer kisses,
cherry tomatoes burst in rabbit cheeks.
roar, roar
We want greens, we want tomatoes,
carrots, chives, and potatoes.
We want greens, we want tomatoes,
carrots, chives, and potatoes.
crunch, slurp
She swallows slowly, her tears tie,
whilst pooh bear embraces the hive,
one queen, two feet on the ground,
liquid gold guarded by no hound.
…
swoosh, shhhh
Wind swirls about and dries the colors out.
She mourns the leaves but dries the herbs.
Defaced, her garden rests, left for pests.
Perennials tucked in underneath a windowsill.
crunch, crunch
Numbers pressed, plans and seeds sifted.
Total cost to grow at home vs total eaten,
No, stop, cannot measure labor for love,
or lust for reproducing, for playing god in dirt.
…
crunch, crunch
Two feet on the ground pack snow,
one heart tough as bone,
one parcel of land relieved,
two hands hold one warm winter worm.
roar, roar
We want greens, we want tomatoes,
carrots, chives, and potatoes.
We want greens, we want tomatoes,
carrots, chives, and potatoes.
…
tick tock, tick tock
