Summer Gardening Poem by cheryl davis miller

'Twas a have-to case so many years
just to feed the family.
I hung up my gloves for a long time
and rested my poor knees.

It gets in your blood and you miss it
when you give it up a while.
The smell of the earth as we turned it
caused my lips to form a smile.

Then there was the fertilizing and
marking out of the rows.
Planning what goes where is important;
as any gardener knows.

The corn must be planted two by two
cucumbers need room to vine.
Red marigolds keep the bugs away
at least they do in mine.

Potatoes must have lots of room
so they can then be hilled.
The hoe must tend to every row
for the larder to be filled.

Tomatoes must be tied up so
the sun can touch the fruit.
Beans like a little lime applied
but they still will make you toot.

The strangest tale I have yet to hear
an old woman told to me.
Concerning sweet green peppers and
how to plant them properly.

Looking up with a toothless grin she spoke,
'For peppers to bear fruit miss
plant them real close together cause see;
'sweet' peppers just love to kiss'.

c.d.m. 5-31-10