Ways of the wild things

Absent the human pleading,
the earth dresses itself.

While we are busy neglecting,
the man-of-the-earth grows

heavy three feet under
the dark crust of ground. Now,

cup your eyes and look to the west -
there is nothing but a privet invasion.

But, just wait til morning when
the man-of-the-earth will rise

with the sun. The only clue
to his hidden-knobbly body

will be ruffled flowers dotting
the fence like a dozen eyes.

Author's Note

2019

Reviews

[Neville]

I am delighted you poemed these fine words.. I now have a better feel for where you sit in this great world of ours.... and welcome to my world... I seem to spend most of my time these days trying to reclaim large portions of my own estate from nature and yes, I too feel guilty about it from time to time... I have also though begun to accept there is beauty in both the wild and more manicured plots... thankfully I have no neighbours to complain or notice when I give up for a while... and of course the badgers, bees and butterflies love me for it........ a super write indeed...... Neville

[Eilis]

I have been a gardener in my mind for many years, haha, but now I finally have a plot with all the necessary ingredients. Sun, namely.

In the meantime, I have accumulated a lot of knowledge about wild plants and so I know weeds are often some of the most valuable plants. I try to dig up only the plants that threaten to swallow everything. It’s a process, for sure. I’m glad to hear I’m not alone on the journey! My neighbors have been looking at me funny...wandering about my scythe and why I don’t just spray everything into oblivion. I’m ok with that. At some point I suspect they will enjoy some of the harvest.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Neville. And for your visits. Much appreciated.

[Neville]

always a pleasure .... I'm still aching from my last scything session but love it... currently looking for a replacement peening jig

[Eilis]

I only just got my first full size scythe a couple of weeks ago, so my novice posture makes every session painful. Haven’t tried peening yet. Actually found the scythe in an antique shop and my husband restored it. We’ve been taking to YouTube to figure out how to use and care for it. It’s been a cool experience.

Thanks again, Neville

[Neville]

Peening jigs, if you can find them here in the UK are ridiculously expensive & that is an understatement... I got one in Bulgaria recently for a few BG Leva or pennies... Once you get the hang of it, its fast, efficient and pain free ... The Green Scythe Fair held annually is only a few miles away from my UK home.... Good Luck.... Neville

[Eilis]

Yeah. I’ve found all implements either hard to find where I am or very expensive. Was planning to save for an Austrian scythe, but was happy to stumble on the one I did. I’m not aware of any such fairs in the US, but I’ll have to look into it. That sounds delightful. Thanks, Neville

[Neville]

I have a good old relatively new Austrian Scythe..
the following is a good site for associated info
http://www.thescytheshop.co.uk/guide.html

[Eilis]

Just checked it out, that will be super helpful. It’s like the manual I didn’t get! Thanks much, N. Best to you

[Neville]

glad to be of service...

[DAH]

The power of earth is one of the beauties
of existence.

Humanity is nothing compared to this
complex planet.

Your poem is a lovely adventure into
"ways of wild things"

Keep writing!

[Eilis]

Many thanks, DAH. I appreciate your reading.

[DAH]

My pleasure. I've enjoyed reading it.

[Kay Salisu Titilola]

You are right, Eilis.
Truly, nature is wild and can really be cheated.
But sometimes, our efforts can make it comply with our plan.

Well written.

[Eilis]

Very true, Kay. I think our project to master nature has been successful by measures of such things. I suppose I’m always asking if that is entirely positive.

Thanks for reading!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and yet your work is so much deeper...yes there are flowers and weeds and neglect of ....well,
i also see people neglecting the planet...not taking care of it or each other.
and the weeds will grow and choke us if we don't stop, pay attention and start loving and nurturing one another..
damn this is good...missed it first time around...glad Chris reviewed it so that it popped up again on my screen.
j.

[Eilis]

Excellent, Jacob, yes. We would do well to be more nurturing of each other as well as our environment. I have not given up hope yet that we will collectively come to our senses.

Many thanks for reading and sharing your insights, again. Always appreciated.

[Chris Shaw]

Your poem Eilis reminds me that if we do not tend our gardens, parks and other places, then nature will reclaim. I visited Highgate cemetery in London (by appointment only) and was fascinated to see how old graves had been completely taken over by ivy. It had eaten into the headstones after years of neglect and smothered them. . I have seen old rail tracks as well where trees have sprouted between the lines. I find some comfort in knowing that where we destroy our planet, mother nature will do her best to cover things up. I very much enjoyed the read and where your words took me.

Chris

[Eilis]

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about agriculture and our relationship to nature. The saying ‘nature abhors a vacuum’ keeps coming up in different sources.

It is certainly encouraging to understand that the earth has an excellent capacity to heal itself. I’ve even read that if we just let spaces rewild themselves some of the impacts of climate change could be lessened.

Thanks for your interesting response, Chris. I love those kinds of stories. And thanks for reading.

[Chris Shaw]

You are welcome Eilis. You have an extra gear to your poetry that others don't have :)

[Eilis]

Ah, thanks Chris, that’s very kind of you to say.

[Wondering Mind]

I loved how you personified the subject.
And the question you raise is deep.. Another question that comes to mind is were we better off as hunters /gatherers..
I personally dread weeding

[Eilis]

Thanks, WM. I definitely think the earth would have been better off if we had stayed hunter/gatherers. I appreciate all of your reading.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I hear ya! My wife planted a garden years ago with little thought to the future as the plants and trees and shrubs matured. As a consequence I can spend most of my life keeping it in check. She wants it all natural but if overgrows paths and everything else. Your piece is succinct and expressive and I am sure you will get the balance right!

[Eilis]

Thanks, John. It sounds like you have your work cut out for you!

When I was young, I plant one mint plant on my in-laws' property, and when I went to visit a couple of months ago I saw that it had completely taken over an are of about 1/4 of an acre. I am sure they would like to slap me, haha, but at least it is a useful plant. You never know what a plant is going to do once it gets going.

Thanks for stopping by.

[CD Campbell]

I very much like (and at times hate) the over all message of the triumph of nature in this work of yours. For a little bit of context that applies to your poem, it seems the more I work to make a space look decent, the more that nature laughs at me by introducing blown in ugly weeds and vines. I live on 80 acres, but I only take care of about 20 of it. I am constantly reminded why the land that I live on was never supposed to be wooded or tamed.
I think the imagery of your seven stanzas are profoundly natural sans the drudgery of an urban monologue. The only man made image in the whole work was that of a fence, and with that last image your message of nature reclamation is cemented. The first two lines were wonderful. I also like the description of the man-of-the-earth underground in lines 3-6. It would appear to be a malevolent force with the use of the words heavy and dark crust, but with clever intent it only reads as a the ever present striving of nature. That was great poetics!

I read your authors note btw. Nature is fascinating, but it's killing my back.

[Eilis]

Hi, CD. I share your mixed feelings for sure! I’m on only half an acre and it is a constant occupation. I don’t think I’d feel very optimistic about trying to tackle twenty acres. And knowing that the other sixty is just waiting to creep in and re-wild everything. My hat’s off to you.

That man of the earth, though. That’s going to be the battle of the century on my property. I’ve been fighting green briars and privets and they’re tough, for sure. But am saving the wild sweet potato (man of the earth) for the cold time of year.

The resiliency of nature is something else.

Many thanks for your kind comments on the poem, and for sharing your experience. Much appreciated.

[barleygirl]

I love your share in authors notes which helped me better appreciate the message in your poem. I feel your poem is nicely specific on the yard details, yet it's also vague enuf to stand for any number of ways our lives become overtaken by excess growth (I have a hoarding neighbor, which comes to mind!) Great writing with sparkling originality (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Eilis]

Hi, Margie. Nice to see you. Thanks for your kind words on the poem.

[gram linski]

this was an awesome read, the man-of-the-earth understands the cyclic amp, nature is a hoary, needy beast indeed,

[Eilis]

Indeed it is. Delightfully so. Thank you, Gram