Gardeners

There was a time a gardener kept the landscape green
pulling weeds, planting flowers, fertilizing when needed

but as more people were able to afford them
they became the mowers and hedgers,

cutting down, trimming back, keeping landscapes
from getting over grown, blowing away debris

then gone before the half hour was done
hurrying off to another home to trim, hack and clip.

The traditional gardener is now the retired folk
hours feeding the roses and grooming the orchids

breeding lush gardens of vegetables with tomatoes
and strawberries, a variety of herbs and zucchini.

Sometimes it is the woman other times the man
tilling away in the sun, planting, watering, weeding,

until the harvest arrives then there are fresh
vegetables to eat and to can, gifts for the neighbors

if the yield is good, bouquets of flowers for the foyer
and flavorful additions to every meal.

I imagined I would garden when I retired
but my skin can not stand the sun

so I must hire a person to tend the the growing
while I enjoy the fruits of his labor.