Ninth annual Yule Love It Lavender Farm Poetry contest winners

FIRST PLACE

Garden of Faith
By Helen Shuttleworth, Oxford, Michigan

Faith built a beautiful garden
deep within my soul
She weeded out the discontent
and planted self-control.
She tilled my hardened heart with love;
broke up the clods of hate
Tore down the scare crows, tossed the traps
and opened up the gate.
Out went selfishness and pride,
no more to be seen In came patience,
goodness, joy so lovely and serene.
Faith is showing me the way;
making straight the rows
Filling me with graces;
pointing out where each one goes.
Reminding me that gentleness
enriches all I do
In the garden of my soul
There’s so much to renew!
Things to stay on top of, like anger and regret
Replacing them with kindness,
and remembering not to fret.
Standing back, I see the changes starting to increase
Faith re-built my garden and its beauty gives me peace.

SECOND PLACE

The Lonely Garden
By Wendy Lyons,Canton, Georgia

Once upon a long time past
A garden grew, its beauty vast.
The soil rich and full of health
Brought forth the garden’s verdant wealth.
Every day, a mist came down
From sky above upon the ground.
A rain so fine ’twas barely seen
That kept the garden lush and green.
Its beauty was beyond compare
Though nothing had been planted there.
No hole was dug, no seed was sown.
It seemed to flourish on its own.
Songs of birds and hints of pine
Rode the breezes cool and fine.
Insects kissed each flower’s face.
It truly was a lovely place.
Vibrant colors, fragrant scents
Textures, sounds and tastes intense.
So much to savor and explore.
Its beauty called for something more.
A garden should be fully sensed
With gratitude and wonderment.
For it was not to tend and toil
That Adam came forth from the soil.

THIRD PLACE

Grandmother’s Garden
By Roger Shuttleworth, Oxford, Michigan

“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?”
I asked my grandmother this same question
Many long years ago.
She told me about seeds and soil and rain;
How this mixture, with sun, makes things grow.
She taught me to plant and even to weed,
Using a poker and long-handled hoe.
As I watched through the days and into the weeks,
Sprouts turned to stems, then flower buds peeked.
It seemed like a miracle when full blooms I saw;
Different colors and varieties, some short and some tall.
Grandmother explained about bees and pollination,
And how honey tastes different from each variation.
But while flowers are pretty, what I really liked best
Were the vegetables and berries I got to test.
She told me that gardens can be large or quite small.
They take time and caring, but LOVE most of all.
I learned a lot about life from Grandmother, you see;
Not just about gardens, but about you and about…me.

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