52 Comments
User's avatar
Richbee's avatar

A pencil pokes a hole into the ground. A bean seed planted to sprout.

A fertile stalk with flowers, harvests sun rays and bees, nourished they grow, progeny produces food and there's the home of the future watered with kindness of rain and teaches that care.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Beautifully state, Richard.

William Colson's avatar

For me, every day is another Earth Day, but I don’t always reflect on those distant moments of childhood. Thank you for an artful poem that takes me back in time. ❤️

Julie Gabrielli's avatar

“birds’ feet on sand

like the sweetness of time.” What a lovely image — and those paintings! 💚

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Oh my goodness, 💗Julie!

Kate Bown's avatar

A beautiful poem for your grand-daughter. Hope and the sweetness of time, bottles of milk and memories of long summers, so many beautiful images.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

How lovely of you, Kate. Heart to heart.

Alisa Kennedy Jones's avatar

Completely gorgeous.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

You touch me with two words, Alisa.

Alisa Kennedy Jones's avatar

I know how much that poem means to you as it immediately took me back to your extraordinary Lifeboat essay.💛

Joseph Young's avatar

yes, all hope for your granddaughter and her sweetness of time. (and sweetness of koi). really nice, Mary.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

You are a bundle of sweetness to write this. Joseph Young.

Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Dear Mary, these heavenly words... yours. Two lines catch my eye, make me gulp, the evocation of "how to write in narrow white spaces of weather, and clothes, and long days at the beach—" and then the prophecy of the last "not of skies bursting color like peaches and plums or birds’ feet on sand like the sweetness of time."

And your paintings are so delightful too! xx

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

What a lovely comment, Susie. Sorry for the late reply: notifications have changed, I guess, as I didn't see this. As to the watercolors: major amateur!

Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Mary my dear and wonderful friend, please, no apology will ever be necessary for the length of time between responses, in my world I am forever belated xx

Nathan Slake's avatar

"in narrow white spaces of weather, and clothes," -- I really love this line, Mary.

Also, incredible watercolour!

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Ah, so glad here, Nathan.

Elizabeth Bobrick's avatar

Your watercolors are stunning! Xo

Elizabeth Bobrick's avatar

Not in my eyes! Truly!

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Oh, Thank you so, Elizabeth--though I am actually an amateur watercolorist.

Isabelle's avatar

Such a gorgeous poem. I would love to own a collection of your poetry, Mary. This takes me back to my school days and though I sometimes refer to my childhood in the negative, your words here remind me of the simple things in life that provided comfort and joy (how hope smelled in the wood ...)

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Oh, Isabelle, your tender words reach my heart. I am working on more poetry--and another is here, in case you missed it--as it was a crosspost from another site that featured me so generously: https://marytabor.substack.com/cp/160953469

Isabelle's avatar

Yes I did. So lovely. Happy to read that you are working on more poetry xo

Lor's avatar

“not of skies bursting color like peaches and plums or birds’ feet on sand like the sweetness of time.”

Just beautiful,Mary. I love your water colors, and that you chose Koi fish . In Japan, “Koi symbolize love, bravery, courage, perseverance .” How very appropriate. May you wrap every part of you, your kindness and compassion , love , and all of your words , in a time capsule of the heart, for your grand daughter. Sharing your living legacy in times of need. Like the Koi, you will arm her with this gift, so she may sail off into a future where all of her dreams will come true . Because that is all we have, hope, determination, and the fierce resilience to pay it forward.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Lor, your comment sings with such tenderness. I am so grateful that you took the time to read this small post.

Jennifer's avatar

Thank you for this beautiful Earth Day poem. 🌏🍃🌳

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

OH, Jennifer, I thank you so for taking the time to read. Comments like yours make all the difference for a writer.

Jennifer's avatar

Aww that’s good to know! Xo

Liz Gauffreau's avatar

Thank you for this lovely Earth Day poem and accompanying paintings. These lines in particular spoke directly to me:

"How hope smelled in the wood

of sharp yellow pencils?"

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Oh, aren't you a love! xx

Kimberly Warner's avatar

Beautiful!!!! The poem and the art!

Nick Buchheit's avatar

Lovely poem.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Oh Nick, heart to Heart!

A. Jay Adler's avatar

You always evoke so much feeling and memory with your precise detail. And I love your watercolors, Mary. They're the image of your words.

<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Your words make my heart sing, Jay!