Will George Poet The Garden

The Garden

Christ stopped frequently in the gardens;

Those enclosures nurtured, to give growth,

Of all manner of seeds and plants.

They were quiet and solitary,

Often the resting place of the dead,

Though they belonged to the living.

The watchman kept his guard,

Protecting the most precious content.

From the wild animal and the domestic kind;

Including those who were brigands and robbers.

The thief would not steal into the night,

Bypassing the witness who kept his vigil.

What was the entrance fee payable?

A small token may have been charged,

For the privilege of sampling the labourer’s fruit.

Who received payment? Was it the Master,

Or, was it the keeper who was granted that right?

To collect the tariff that may have applied.

Stout walls, or thick hedgegrowth enclosed the confined space.

Repairs were constant to maintain its purpose.

Vigilant were the gardeners responsible for its care;

Regular maintenance was a necessity,

Similarly the demands made on the body,

To reject abuse and the impact of wear.

Each garden offered a facsimile of Eden!

An ordered structure, for enjoyment laid out.

A pleasant place to relax and wait;

The shade trees gave a brief respite,

From the glare and heat of the sun,

Their caress as welcome as that of cool breeze.

Our Lord knelt in prayer, often.

The confines of this haven secure.

Guarded perhaps by a heavenly host,

Those sentinels obligated to the cause.

Who stood and observed the trial,

The test of a most special emissary.

The prophets came to converse,

To provide their support,

To give comfort where pain could not be extinguished.

They knew the garden would be breached,

By the actions of the cowardly,

The peace of the night would be broken!

The rain, the life blood of all growth,

Ceaselessly flows through its channels;

The refreshing spring is renewed,

It wells up from within the depths,

Pure and crystal clear it sustains,

Life is its continual gift.

Man has chosen to leave paradise,

The redeeming light no longer a part of his life.

Trees and choking vine have overcome,

Restricting development and expansion.

The poorly fed wither and die,

Cut off from the sustenance that Christ provides.

There are moments of solace and solitude,

To be gained and enjoyed.

There is no need to extend oneself;

The balm will wash over as the lapping tide.

The motion, a caress, to take away the stress,

Each wave a part of a gentle wish.

God gave us Eden; was it to protect?

A safe place in which to reflect!

Humankind were given the gift so blessed,

To enjoy and to grow as all life has been so dressed.

The contrast of day and night itself,

A cloak, offering the most important repast.

Our Lord roamed the garden given to Man;

To share in the experiences from which he may learn.

To understand the weaknesses, and as the child,

Provide a firm hand that would be the guide.

Life was complete and had no end,

Until Man rejected the special command.

We have not lost the benefit

Of the wealth of the land,

Of the beauty of all manner of plant,

Of the kinship of the kingdom,

Once shared by the animal, insect and those beyond,

Now left to find where they may stand.

Be wary of how quickly you pass!

How easily you may appreciate the sweetness of grass;

The tree offering shade plays its role,

To give strength while itself continually works;

The garden is an integral part,

Of the depth of the soul, and how it stimulates the heart.

Love your garden and all creatures therein;

For God so loved us, to forgive us of sin.

He has given us much, that we may omit,

To give thanksgiving as often as we should commit,

The sacrifice we should offer is not a great thing,

For words and deeds only concern our method of living!