1 Topic by Jandle (edited by Jandle 2018-10-10 07:04:55)

  • Jandle
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Topic: The Garden

I wrote this yesterday.  Originally was going to make it a song but decided it seems more like  poem.

THE GARDEN

I was talking to my Dad on the phone today                                           
We talked for a while, in the usual way                                             
I asked him, “how’s your day been Dad?”
He said “not to bad, it been ok”
We chatted about the weather,
He said he hadn’t done much
He was sitting outside enjoying the sun, eating his lunch
Our conversation led to gardening and such
I asked him what he was planting this year
His vege garden always full, planted with care
The question seemed to hang in the air
I heard my Dad answer, with a sound of disappear
His voice suddenly went quiet, or so it seemed to my ear
As he contemplated his answer and for a minute day dreamed
He said he wouldn`t be planting any veg’s this year
No point he said, there`s only him there
“With your Mum in a home and me on my own
I can`t eat it all, it just goes to waste, gets over grown
There is only so much I can give the neighbors next door
They all grow veg`s and have way too much”
We finished our chat, said I`d call him another day
As I hung up the phone, I felt sad for my Dad and what he had to say
He used to love his garden, to plant, weed it and such
But the truth and sad part is not really the garden so much
It`s the life he misses, that he shared with my Mum, his lovely Mrs

(edited by Jandle to take out a typo)

Laugh Lots ... Forgive Much ...  Love one another     smile
Covers and some Originals found over there    ------- >    https://soundcloud.com/ukulelejan
  • From: Wellington New Zealand
  • Registered: 2010-03-24
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Re: The Garden

Jan
that is  terrific,i give it a 10/10     

The King Of Audio Torture
  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
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Re: The Garden

Made me think of my own father,  he too missed the life he once had. I like to think they are together again.  It's beautiful as a poem, thank you Jandle.     

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: Perth
  • Registered: 2017-09-27
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Re: The Garden

I love it ... hits close to home ...

Cheers

Richard     

-[ Musician, writer, guitarist, singer ]-
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  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Re: The Garden

Very, very good, Jandle ... nice to have those relationships with ones parents. I heard a message at a funeral once that stayed with me, called "Give Them the Flowers Now". He spoke about how we often leave too many things unsaid and undone until it's too late to say or do them. Thanks for letting us have a peek inside your love for your folks.     

  • From: The Land Of Song
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Re: The Garden

My dad also loved his garden, a love he inherited from my grandmother, or mamgu as we say in Welsh. Unfortunately I didn't inherit his love, so I've got a nice lawn!
After my mother died he lost interest in everything for a year or so, then he seemed to pick up again, we had some great and revealing chats till he died suddenly of a heart attack.
Jan, your poem brings it all back, especially how selfish and thoughtless I've been; living my own life and raising my own family. I know that last line isn't actually true for me or you, it's just the way we feel knowing I could have done more. You are doing everything, you've got me talking about something I've kept to myself for ten years.

So thank you and well done, well written and thought provoking... I'm off to have a cry now.     

As a ps, at the time he died I was learning YOUR SONG by Elton John. I still include it in my set and think of him as I sing it every time.

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Phill Williams's Website

7 Reply by TIGLJK (edited by TIGLJK 2018-10-10 10:55:30)

  • TIGLJK
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Re: The Garden

Jan
That is so fantastic - one of the best I've ever read here on Chordie - or anywhere in fact.
To me poetry is about painting a mental picture and moving the soul and emotions - which you have outstandingly done !

I am a huge gardener - and as I am getting older and my kids have left - I have not diminished my garden for the very reason you included -   it's not the garden - its the life. 
As I garden - it is a time of reflection , a time of stress relief, a time to be creative, and a time to absolve problems. I had my 3 year old grandson over a couple of weeks ago  and we picked beans - not to harvest but to find different colors - and we just threw the beans back into the soil. The last two times since then - as soon as he has arrived - he wanted to go to the garden - I would plant a hundred gardens just to continue being able to that over and over again !

Thanks for sharing this wonderful literary piece - it should become a song.

As Phill pointed out - we all have meaningful songs that touch our hearts in remembrance - if I was a musician and was capable of playing a set - I would always include the song "Leader of the Band" -  Whenever I do play it on my guitar - it always brings tears to my eyes as I remember my Mother and my 6 older brothers. 

Thank you so much - I love this piece!!
and as I am typing right now happy tears are streaming down my face.  smile
Jim     

p.s.  This should be submitted to some book company - it really and truly is awesome - kids should read this in school.  I am going to give a copy of it to the English teacher in the school where I teach - it's that good!!

Your vision is not limited by what your eye can see, but what your mind can imagine.
Make your life count, and the world will be a better place because you tried.

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except only the the best." - Henry Van Dyke

8 Reply by Peatle Jville (edited by Peatle Jville 2018-10-11 08:14:46)

  • Registered: 2015-07-31
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Re: The Garden

I love it Jan. It made me think of my fathers parents. They had a big garden only because my Nan loved fresh veg plus trees and shrubs and flowers. Grandpah loved to make her happy so did all the bits she couldn't do. When she passed away he lost the motivation to garden and the family would have to tend to the garden while he sat there looking sad .They both passed away within a couple years of each other and were only in their early sixties. My father's sister took over their home and for years looked after the garden and lawns lovingly, with the gardens winning  some awards.. She told me it was a way of keeping her Mum and Dad alive in her heart that motivated her to work in the garden for hours and hours..

  • Jandle
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Re: The Garden

Thanks each and everyone of you for your comments on this poem.  Wow, your comments were amazing and deeply touched me.  I don't always find writing easy and don't even consider myself very good with words but I guess when it is something that comes from the heart,  I found this one easy to write.  Thanks for the wonderful encouragement smile     

Laugh Lots ... Forgive Much ...  Love one another     smile
Covers and some Originals found over there    ------- >    https://soundcloud.com/ukulelejan