by ELLEN BASS
A night gardener
I used to resent the night:
the struggle and strain to get to sleep,
the struggle and strain to stay asleep
so I could struggle and strain through another day.
I would turn over and over like a rotisserie hen,
bemoan the slightest noise
or crinkle in the sheet.
But now I am a night gardener.
I tend the night nursery.
Blessing seeds are fertilised and mulched.
Thoughts and worries sink into the rich dark beds of the subconscious.
Spindly and unhealthy growth is pruned and culled.
I keep a written record of the labours and fruits of my nightly cultivation
before they flee into my forgettery.
Then,
I let the dog out to chase the neighbourhood cats,
gaze at the night sky,
listen for the haunting call of the morepork,
feel the night air fill my lungs and chill my toes,
take a sip of spring water,
and snuggle beneath the sheet
ready to be transformed once more in my night garden.
I am a night gardener
and the fruit of this nightly toil
is the paradox of
a restful, creative, blessing-filled day.
The template I selected was the elongated body and stuffed arms. The arms seemed a bit chunky but I figure you have to be muscular to tend the night garden:-) I chose a black velvet with a rose pattern - it said to me "I am a night gardener". I tore strips of the selvedge to create her hair. Her black velvet heart is stitched on with a gold running stitch. Her black stuffed arms hold a gold flower - picked from her night garden! |