my secluded garden, showing summer glory
japanese maple's brilliant crimson foliage cascading down to sweep the patio with its graceful lines
potted white birches, expanded their leaves to welcome the warm sun
perfect heart-shaped and shimmering with each caressing breeze
potted evergreens assuming the flavor of the Orient
becoming bonsai in natural formation
early spring blossoms have shown their true colors, now shyly fade back
soon the early summer blooms will explode into a confusion of color and texture
a day began with a cup of coffee and a walk in the garden
the leaves have unfurled, seclusion abounds
a place private and very loved
i scan the beautiful may sky, deeper blue than it will be in a few weeks
the sun glows more proudly each day
the plants are enjoying the warm spring sun each reaching out to absorb a taste
there is calm in my secret garden
safe behind a locked gate
birds will splash the water from the freshly filled bath
each making a tentative fly- by to scope the area
landing with a caw, or song announcing their arrival
before they send crystal jewels of light bursting forth
a fountain of fresh clean droplets accenting the air before crashing to the ground
birds love my garden for it is an oasis of safety and shadows
thick with foliage of varying heights, a place to cavort and swoop
void of the antiseptic carpet of grass
so common and so bland
i despise grass, the sight so fake, walking on it so alien, almost forbidden
a vast toxic footprint to maintain its glorified perfection
so much wasted, soil, water, time wasted to cultivate nothing
the constant affronts of noise and stench of fumes
maintenance, maintenance, maintenance
my garden the glory of a summer shower gives it life times of drought a few sprays, carefully placed
no chemicals to poison it, or vast footprint to maintain it
no toxic imprint
my garden allows secure places to create nests
cool shaded glades to escape from the hot summer sun
wildlife abounds from squirrels, daily visitors scampering everywhere
the opossum takes a nightly stroll before resting in the cradle of a tree
the rabbit will dig a tunnel
ignoring standard-issue suburban vinyl fencing
for a nibble of the wild berries provided just for their desires
the raccoon cunningly will introduce himself through the doggie door
catching me off guard
sorry buddy not on my watch
to survey the abundant wildlife, welcomed to my small patch of garden
fills me with joy
for here they are free to linger and not be exposed to the toxins
surrounding my oasis
crisp fields of mowed, clipped, buzzed, trimmed antiseptic chemical induced grass
my neighbors worship
cookie cutter plots of vacuous, lethal green carpet
vacant of life, sprayed, powdered, sprinkled with droplets of poison
vapid, high maintenance in its banality
befitting the neighbors perfectly, lacking character or personality
grass clones safely tucked away in their personal illusions
viewing my garden as the anomaly of social abhorrence
growing naturally, freely safely, native mostly
trees and bushes planted by the wildlife themselves
for all to enjoy
a paradise found
in a toxic grass filled world
sadly when i am gone, a new owner will hack and chop
removing all that makes my garden special, unique
converting all to yet another backyard
void of life and character
an enclosure of toxic green grass
tony scarpa
Farmland, grasslands and forest are all expected to be converted to urban use as US cities sprawl over the next 50 years, reports Conservation Magazine
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