Staple me. Label me. Throw me in a file.
Hide me away among the things you revile.
I'll play and I'll plot and I'll plan all the while
s
g
n
i
r
p
for when all that was cast aside brightly s
radishes, rhubarbs and cranberry strings -
when doodles and donuts are popsicle kings.
she made radishes into roses
her watermelon becomes a basket
she is an Artesian
she cuts her sandwiches into figure eights
her mini cakes show rainbow colors when sliced
her bread loaves are shaped like animals
eating her food is an adventure
always a surprise or two
she puts peanut butter in pancakes
vegetable hag came by her name and occupation naturally
She grows vegetables in gardens, I think she has twenty-three
her carrots are enormous, her radishes amazingly red
She will be hoeing and growing every year until she is dead
We tried to help her in the garden, but she chased us away
You just want to steal my produce, she screamed at my cousin Gray
I will never offer to help her again, he said. She is a mean old hag.
I was glad we got chased off, taking care of a garden can be a drag.
My mother buys vegetable hag’s produce on corner across the street.
She took her a cupcake, and vegetable hag said “oh, my, what a treat!”
her turnips are round and ripe. and her lettuce is crispy and green.
She is not only a vegetable hag, she is the vegetable queen.
grumpy vegetables came marching over the hill to do their best.
They had heard of a weird new rule they wanted to contest.
Radishes and carrots were to stay in one bin, away from the potatoes.
But where did that leave the lettuce, turnips, parsley and tomatoes?
They came in with faces full of angry gloomy thunder clouds.
Ready to wrestle with anyone, their expressions dour as shrouds.
The farmer saw them coming and said what now? To his wife.
She rolled her eyes, said “I’ve got this,” and took out a paring knife.
crispy salad greens
topped with fresh red tomatoes
a colorful feast
slivers of carrots
taste buds are quick to waken
whispers of blue cheese
add some radishes
and strips of shaved honey ham
a marvelous lunch
I buy vegetables
lettuce, celery, parsley, radishes,
planning to eat them, to get healthier
so that my colon will smile
I plan to drink twelve glasses of water a day
in actuality, I do not drink more than one third of a cup of H20
I reach for chocolate milk, caramel latte, peanut butter cookies
Frisky frosted brownies will not eat themselves.
There is nothing sadder than a moldy frosted brownie.
These two Milky Way bars are yelling my name.
I have to throw the vegetables out after they start stinking.
My body gives me no credit for good intentions.
colorful butterfly faerie flew into the garden today
The marigolds, lilies and lilacs all leaned her way
Wanting a favor, a glimpse, a look at her gown
She had a terrific personality, and no kind of frown
She is such a beauty! The elves and dwarfs did agree.
Tomato worm never saw her; he was watching TV
The radishes and carrots tried to get her to come over.
She was adorable! said the cat and an old dog named Rover.
Colorful butterfly faerie told them she would be back soon.
She had promised a relative she would meet them on the moon.
As she flew away, the garden waved and yelled out good-byes.
Within minutes she had entered a large cloud up in the skies.
My mother had a way with green plants
They wanted to please her, and so they did.
She took cuttings and gave them to neighbors.
Millions of cuttings. Provided the town with cuttings.
We kids were gardening as soon as we could walk.
Out in the country, on grandpa’s land.
An enormous garden plowed by a tractor.
Our garden was the size of a small supermarket.
We planted our vegetables in rows
Slit the bottom of the seed packet and put it on a stake
Every second or third row was marked
So, I knew how to plant, weed, and hoe a garden
I learned how to grow my own food
After getting my own place, I realized I missed home-grown vegetables
I decided to plant my own garden.
I chose things I thought might be easy -carrots, radishes, and peas.
Corn takes too much room, and pumpkins are not early enough.
I had learned plenty from my parents; my garden was a hit.
I also had two rows of flowers.
Remembering much later....
My mother always planted two rows of flowers in her vegetable gardens.
Zinnias and Marigolds
The same two flowers I chose to plant.
Butterfly princess landed in the garden on a warm May day
She isn’t local, must be from an ever land far far away
Her gown was refined, with corals, lavenders and sky blue
She had dainty features, and wore a silver bell on each shoe.
Tinkling while she walked, she approached the lilies first.
They needed a drink, so she stopped and quenched their thirst.
The tomatoes needed weeding, so butterfly princess did that too
She impressed the radishes and carrots. How about you?
my telephone pal and I speak at each other daily
neither of us listens
but we know when to pause
and pretend
I speak of my garden
tomatoes, radishes, carrots, lettuce
she speaks of her granddaughter Gigi
pretty, perfect, smart, wise, wonderful Gigi
I will send you a photo she says
I get a photo of Gigi
She gets a photo of my garden
she yaps, I yap
Pausing at the right places
pretending we are listening.
both of us talking
no one listening
turn off the news
get yourself outside to the garden
plant some radishes and carrots
get your hands dirty,
enjoy your dirt therapy
there is rarely anything more fun
than parading around in a garden
my stegosaurus lurks in the bushes
hiding from the neighbors, because he is shy
fearful of their ridicule and prying questions
trusting only me, which makes me feel terrific
I toss celery, tomatoes and radishes his way
he throws them in the air before he gulps them down
the neighbors do not question what I am doing
they are fearful of me, because I see what they cannot
I love my veggies, they make me so glad
Radishes, onions, carrots, like my dad
My mother loves lettuce, says it is rad
Tomatoes- veggie or fruit? Best we’ve had
My grandma makes veggie soup, good to me
Full of seasonings too, as it should be
We love our veggies, they make us feel strong
Saying no without tasting is always wrong
So here is my advice and it is free
Try all the veggies, some are really tasty
And thank your grandma and parents too
They know the best things to nourish you
The roll of the waves hides the arcs of their backs.
The shoal of porpoises are feeding on squid.
Feasting amongst them on cephalopod snacks
Are green-scaled dragons that choose to be hid.
They hide from whalers and their brutal harpoons,
While they stay in the ocean for most of life's times,
Except times when they roam the nearby sand dunes
To covet Marsh Radishes and the wild limes.
These dragons don't fly, since they're aquatic sorts.
Like Nessie in Scotland, they wish to be free.
Some people catch a glimpse, and some hear a snort,
But rarely, since mostly they're way out to sea.
Doris was a beet who was well-loved
she was symmetrically and artistically beautiful.
the entire garden decided to hide her,
because they could not bear to see her eaten
carrots, radishes, green beans and peas took turns
camouflaging Doris, so the eaters would not notice her.
she thrived all summer long, getting bigger and bigger
by the time the farmers noticed her, she had petrified.
weirdly enough, Doris did not stop growing.
she was twenty-two foot tall by that winter.
and she had turned into a beautiful gray tree.
a rare beet tree, beloved by a garden.
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