Monday, December 04, 2006

For The Love Of Green

I don’t rake leaves,
I mutilate their edge-curling bodies
with the double rotating blades
of my red, riding lawnmower.

The traditional procedure, I confess,
is to sweep them in piles,
pack their fallen bodies in plastic bags,
or burn them down to ashes.

But, coming from a long line
of work evading entrepreneurs,
it’s much easier to turn the key,
engage cold steel, and ride.

This might sound heartless, or like
I enjoy my creativity too much. Maybe, but,
I’m aiding the decaying process, and the lawn
always shows its appreciation in the Spring.

20 comments:

NINANINA said...

i like the way you turn mundane benign activity into verse. I like raking leaves... I like the SMELL of fall, because its so fleeting.....! In Texas we seem to have "3 falls"... because there is such a variety of trees....but finally - now -IT IS WINTER.

MB said...

It seems long ago now, but I do rake the leaves in the fall. Like you, I like to think the earth appreciates the leaves' return to it... I just do it a little differently from you! ;-)

polona said...

what you do may not be pretty but it's probably more fun than the raking and useful for the lawn, not to mention your readers who get the opportunity to read another of your gems. :)

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

I raked leaves often as a kid...and jumped in many piles. Actually this should be in reverse...I jumped in more piles than raked!

Anonymous said...

Okay, I know this is just a poem, but raking leaves is such a pet peeve of mine, and there's NO reason for it! Mulching is probably better for your yard anyway. Areas that haul away yard waste lose top soil and inches of elevation every year, so it's probably better for the environment to be lazy!

Kai said...

very nice

Anonymous said...

Why rake? Why ride? My idea is to just let nature take its course...the wind will eventually carry them away. ;-)

Margie said...

As polona said, we get a gem of a poem...created from your mulching of your lawn!
Good one Pat!

Margie

Cathy said...

We had our first snow storm today.
No more thoughts of lawn and gardens here for awhile.

Masago said...

Nicely summarized. I wish we had done something like that this year. Our lawn will not be happy next Spring.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

You think you could come do my yard?? :)

Anonymous said...

Coming to a cinema near you: "Norcross Chainsaw Massacre". Heheheheheh!! ;-)

Anonymous said...

There's no leaves to rake here at this concrete jungle. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm with you all the way for conservation. One year I raked 18 huge bags from our tiny front yard, all by myself. We catch the leaves from the neighbors' yards. Our "natural" yard must annoy those whose lawns look like you could eat dinner off of them- the folks out there raking twice a week.... Mr.GEM kidded me after my workout because he had used the mower almost all the time before I raked, but I didn't realize that.

floots said...

a ride-on mower
i am not worthy :)
nice one pat

Amy said...

mulch mulch mulch - i love the expression of the simple act ... !

Pat Paulk said...

Thanks Nina!! It's all I have--the mundane and benign.

Difference is a spice, not a point of contention. Thanks MB!!

Polona, it's definitely more fun!! Of course the neighbors think my laughing and shaking my fists a bit strange. Thanks!!

Corey, I've jumped in a few piles myself--leaves. Thank you!!

Doughnutjane, you are right!! My being lazy has top soil benefits!!

Thanks Kai!! Write some poetry!!

Margo the wind did, to my yard!! So, I whacked 'em!!

Thanks Margie!!

Cathy, I think we're supposed to dip down to 20 Friday night. That's cold!!

Vaughn, thanks!! sorry for your lawn...

Andrew, for the right money you can get me to do almost anything.

SB, how'd you find out?? It was being filmed by a family from Chile on their cell phone. Cat's out of the bag now.

Dsnake, I say no to concrete jungles. Got to have trees and vines, and critters around.

GEL, you'd think he would've told ya. I love "natural", but a layer of leaves 3" thick would've killed the grass, so it was rake or blade. I obviously chose the blade.

Floots, I'm not either, but Home Depot didn't ask for qualifications, just a check. Got to love those guys!!

Amy, why thank you ma'am!!

gautami tripathy said...

For me this is multi-latered. The way we sweep the decaying parts of ouur life. We need to do that.

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

I love this as a fellow none leaf raker-the language is so rich a joy to read

Anonymous said...

Funny...Again a good write from the simple