Home » Poems » Jan Allison » My Gigantic Garden of Childhood

My Gigantic Garden of Childhood

an acre of land our very own smallholding father scythes long grass rows of potatoes green runner beans, sweet carrots mother bakes fresh bread huge laundry baskets filled with ripe red strawberries small hands were stained red a goat and two pigs chickens and a cockerel our morning alarm perched upon a stool I learn to do the milking owl hoots in ash tree Garden Poetry Contest Sponsored by Dear Heart 06/10/20

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Paul Schneiter

Date: 6/18/2020 9:49:00 PM

Lovely nostalgia piece that, with a paucity of words, creates exquisite, memory-rich images. Simply beautiful, Jan. Hugs, Paul

Constance La France

Date: 6/18/2020 5:22:00 PM

Jan, congratulations on your win in my garden contest with this beautifully penned poem _Constance

Winged Warrior

Date: 6/14/2020 4:53:00 AM

(((Congrats!!))) dear Jan...lovely memories of gardens past...^WW^ :o)

Jan Allison
Date: 6/14/2020 1:45:00 PM

thanks ^WW^:-) hugs Jan xx

Aditi Mishra

Date: 6/13/2020 6:47:00 PM

Back to congratulate you on your win Jan. Much love :)

Jan Allison
Date: 6/14/2020 1:44:00 PM

thanks Aditi:-) hugs Jan xx

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 6/11/2020 9:45:00 PM

What a lovely train of haiku you have done - I like the strawberry one the best, they are my favorite berry - best of luck in the contest!

Jan Allison
Date: 6/12/2020 3:22:00 AM

we literally used to pic washing baskets of them we had so many - I used to help dad bag them up and sell them - at one time we had a small shop attached to the house but later it was turned into a garage:-) I still never eat produce I pick in my own garden so my fingers may get red from the raspberries... but not my lips:-) hugs jan xx

Regina Mcintosh

Date: 6/11/2020 9:36:00 AM

I do love farm life !!! It's such a blessing and miracles abound in this life. God bless you sweet Jan... From the heart of NC. Gina

Jan Allison
Date: 6/11/2020 9:46:00 AM

Thanks for dropping by Regina:-) hugs Jan xx

Mike Gentile

Date: 6/11/2020 9:03:00 AM

Such a different experience than my own childhood Jan, yet I also find I somehow relate. I really enjoyed this beautifully crafted garden of memories! Good luck in the contest xxoo

Jan Allison
Date: 6/11/2020 9:14:00 AM

Thanks Mike sadly my memories after this are not happy ones - 5 years on my mother and I have never grieved for my father.. no idea about my sister she has no contact with any of us since she inherited. Hugs Jan xx

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 6/11/2020 7:17:00 AM

Sounds lovely! My parents didn’t garden until I was in eighth grade. By then I was hanging out with friends so I never really found my green thumb. I love your poem!

Jan Allison
Date: 6/11/2020 9:12:00 AM

thanks Kim:-) hugs Jan xx

Mahtab Bangalee

Date: 6/11/2020 5:43:00 AM

nostalgic memory .........beautiful poem shared for the contest

Jan Allison
Date: 6/11/2020 6:47:00 AM

thanks Mahtab:-) hugs Jan xx

Jennifer Proxenos

Date: 6/11/2020 1:55:00 AM

Such a beautful creative poem you painted of your parents smallholding which was your very own paradise - sounds awesome Jan. Our house we sold 6 months ago to come into a secure living estate was just under an acre and I had landscaped the whole garden together with our wonderful gardener whom we had for 18 years. That was my paradise, which I miss so much. Hugs and blessings Jan, Jennifer.

Jan Allison
Date: 6/11/2020 6:47:00 AM

aww Jennifer you must miss it terribly I know how much work goes into creating a paradise like you had:-) hugs Jan xx

Tania Kitchin

Date: 6/10/2020 6:41:00 PM

A sweet chain of haiku's, it captures sweet childhood memories! Lovely, Jan! hugs

Jan Allison
Date: 6/11/2020 6:46:00 AM

thanks Tania:-) hugs Jan xx

Ilene Bauer

Date: 6/10/2020 3:11:00 PM

this sounds so appealing to me, jan! you've painted a lovely picture of the garden of your youth - you were lucky to have had it! my mother planted nothing in our back garden (although there was a tree) but our neighbor used to let me help her pick her roses and cherries and i loved doing that...

Jan Allison
Date: 6/10/2020 3:14:00 PM

the only think I cant remember was the type of tree, it was between us and the neighbours and the school which ran down the side of our property. Our science teacher used to come and watch the family of owls which we called Olly and Olive - they had 3 owlets which were so gorgeous - oh such memories!:-) hugs Jan xx

Aditi Mishra

Date: 6/10/2020 2:55:00 PM

Loved the beautiful memories. And it is interesting to know you could learn milking. I so wish to get back to such a peaceful life somewhere in countryside. Blessings and love Jan! :)

Jan Allison
Date: 6/10/2020 2:58:00 PM

We had a huge garden which my dad and his friend worked on - his friend was an elderly man but he would still cycle about 6 miles a day to help - mum would feed him and he just loved having company:-) hugs Jan xx

Rico Leffanta

Date: 6/10/2020 1:25:00 PM

Work! Work! Work! Is that any way to spend Lockdown? I enjoy your poetry, so do continue with your walks! Aloha! Rico

Jan Allison
Date: 6/10/2020 1:32:00 PM

Was many years ago that we lived there - I now have my own garden have managed to do a little today but its been wet so no walk apart from to the shop for some 'moo juice' :-) hugs Jan XX

Tom Cunningham

Date: 6/10/2020 12:28:00 PM

Happy memories Jan, back then folks used their gardens to grow their own produce, doesn't come any fresher than that Nowadays it's pop to Tescos lol. Good luck in the contest. Tom

Jan Allison
Date: 6/10/2020 12:45:00 PM

I wouldn't eat the pigs or chickens lol and the eggs were so rich the bright orange yolks used to make me sick. Mum and I literally used to pick HUGE washing baskets of strawberries - i would pick them and not eat them until they'd been washed and prepared:-) hugs Jan xx

Joseph May

Date: 6/10/2020 11:42:00 AM

Beautifully penned Jan, GL in the Contest

Jan Allison
Date: 6/10/2020 12:09:00 PM

Thanks Joseph my father was brought up on a farm in Lithuania and re created a small part of it when I was growing up - have just checked on the web and the house is still called 'longacre' we drove to see it some years ago and is been massively extended from when my parents owned i:-) hugs Jan xx

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 6/10/2020 11:23:00 AM

You have described my life currently, and I would encourage you to come hither whenever you want and help me tend my garden, my friend. I can see that you appreciate them!

Jan Allison
Date: 6/10/2020 11:38:00 AM

Aww sorry Caren we are still under lock down! Would love to visit the US one day and meet some souper friends:-) hugs Jan xx