a poem a day in the month of may
Seed-leaves spreading like tiny hearts end to end;
i imagine you tall and strong, sweet-bitter leaves of kale;
but first i must disentangle you,
give you room to breathe,
cut you loose from your home and try to help you thrive elsewhere;
please forgive me for this disruption;
i only want you to bloom.
So tiny
So fragile
So delicate
Signs of life beginning
Signs of hope sprouting
A promise of the future
seedling, God’s green hope
leaves unfurling, bursting forth
an act of great trust
Seedling
A little bundle of life
Spreading its elbows above the dirt
Aiming for the sun
A bit of green peeks
through the soil, tiny tendrils
slowly unfurling,
stretching, reaching for
the sun, calm and unhurried;
a lesson, a gift.
a tiny seedling
holds vulnerability
no life without them
I remember drawing the root pushing
down down into the soil --
observing subterranean growth in
seventh grade science.
Thinning the rows of beets and carrots,
I lament the loss of potential --
lightly touching my stomach where
life briefly grew.
how come most things seem to start so
meek. puny. crushable. sinless.
& who decides when to drop the '-ling' ?
You are so tiny,
Yet so full of potential.
You quiver with excitement,
Ready to burst forth from your hull.
Will someone pick you,
To be planted into fertile soil?
Seedling becomes plant
Plant blooms in all its glory
Flowers and Fruit shine
You are on your way.
You thought you were buried,
but you worked your way up
through the dirt.
Here you are
a little unsteady and
weak in the knees,
but you are standing,
turning your face
to the sun.
Keep going, keep growing.
Soak up the rain.
Dig your roots deep.
Drink in those rays.
You will branch out
and develop
in amazing ways.
You play a vital part
in the mutual work
of the green world.
And we are thankful.
seedling
buried deep
so long ago
planted
with all things
to grow fully
except light
and care
to fully become
who you were
created to be
planted in
poor environment
with little attention
and no care
trampled down
and neglected
ignored and cast aside
fear not
don't give up hope
a new day dawns
a new community forms
light and love
are on the way
encouragement like water
will help you grow
you are infinitely valued
you created for more
than you can even imagine
the world needs you
to fully bloom
to see your potential
to add to its beauty
long ago
you are human
created with dignity
and intention
plus a purpose
that makes the world
a better place
because you are in it
Embodied potency
Ancient knowing, with
Ample possibility
Capacious liminality
No longer seed, but
Not yet tree
Radical vulnerability
Embryonic roots, then
Downy shoots
Tender seedling
There are no guarantees, and
We keep living and loving
Bright blue sky day,
warmth of spring creeping in,
light shines through my window
as the children gather for lunch below,
ready to embrace the songs of the day.
Seedlings in human form,
grown from seeds planted intentionally or not
blooming in hope for a future that is possible.
I wonder.
How will they grow?
How will we tend and nurture them?
Will we treat them better than the trees?
Or the same? Or worse?
Will they be as resilient as the oak?
As flexible as the magnolia?
As stunning as a dogwood?
As winsome as the willow?
Will they look at us and weep,
as their kindreds are cut down,
clear cut in the horrors of our times.
In their growing,
will they look at us with love.
With hope? With understanding?
Will they know we did the best we could?
Or that when we failed
we were simply too afraid.
The Seedling
It never ceases to amaze me
That a seed placed into the soil
And given sunlight and water
Will sprout and flourish and grow
Into whatever it is meant to be.
Karri Temple Brackett
May 10. 2023
A spark
Blushing darkness in the
Void starting somewhere
Nowhere until it begins to
Crunch forward restless as
The dawn’s eye in a crouching
Tiger spit fire doesn’t even sound
The same doesn’t even play
The same jibber jabber rags to
Riches princess in the ruins
Edge edgy until you love it
Until it seduces you just like
All the others who hold onto
Their kites and sent them
Soaring golden with the eagle who
Peers with golden eye wisdom and
Elegance that always let them
Finish it explosively writing
Banners on the tall
Wall that proclaim your
Fire
Seed-leaves spreading like tiny hearts end to end;
i imagine you tall and strong, sweet-bitter leaves of kale;
but first i must disentangle you,
give you room to breathe,
cut you loose from your home and try to help you thrive elsewhere;
please forgive me for this disruption;
i only want you to bloom.
So tiny
So fragile
So delicate
Signs of life beginning
Signs of hope sprouting
A promise of the future
seedling, God’s green hope
leaves unfurling, bursting forth
an act of great trust
Seedling
A little bundle of life
Spreading its elbows above the dirt
Aiming for the sun
A bit of green peeks
through the soil, tiny tendrils
slowly unfurling,
stretching, reaching for
the sun, calm and unhurried;
a lesson, a gift.
a tiny seedling
holds vulnerability
no life without them
I remember drawing the root pushing
down down into the soil --
observing subterranean growth in
seventh grade science.
Thinning the rows of beets and carrots,
I lament the loss of potential --
lightly touching my stomach where
life briefly grew.
how come most things seem to start so
meek. puny. crushable. sinless.
& who decides when to drop the '-ling' ?
You are so tiny,
Yet so full of potential.
You quiver with excitement,
Ready to burst forth from your hull.
Will someone pick you,
To be planted into fertile soil?
Seedling becomes plant
Plant blooms in all its glory
Flowers and Fruit shine
Seedling
You are on your way.
You thought you were buried,
but you worked your way up
through the dirt.
Here you are
a little unsteady and
weak in the knees,
but you are standing,
turning your face
to the sun.
Keep going, keep growing.
Soak up the rain.
Dig your roots deep.
Drink in those rays.
You will branch out
and develop
in amazing ways.
You play a vital part
in the mutual work
of the green world.
And we are thankful.
seedling
buried deep
so long ago
planted
with all things
to grow fully
except light
and care
to fully become
who you were
created to be
seedling
buried deep
so long ago
planted in
poor environment
with little attention
and no care
trampled down
and neglected
ignored and cast aside
fear not
seedling
buried deep
so long ago
planted
don't give up hope
a new day dawns
a new community forms
light and love
are on the way
encouragement like water
will help you grow
seedling
buried deep
planted
so long ago
you are infinitely valued
you created for more
than you can even imagine
the world needs you
to fully bloom
to see your potential
to add to its beauty
seedling
buried deep
planted
long ago
you are human
created with dignity
and intention
plus a purpose
that makes the world
a better place
because you are in it
Embodied potency
Ancient knowing, with
Ample possibility
Capacious liminality
No longer seed, but
Not yet tree
Radical vulnerability
Embryonic roots, then
Downy shoots
Tender seedling
There are no guarantees, and
We keep living and loving
Bright blue sky day,
warmth of spring creeping in,
light shines through my window
as the children gather for lunch below,
ready to embrace the songs of the day.
Seedlings in human form,
grown from seeds planted intentionally or not
blooming in hope for a future that is possible.
I wonder.
How will they grow?
How will we tend and nurture them?
Will we treat them better than the trees?
Or the same? Or worse?
Will they be as resilient as the oak?
As flexible as the magnolia?
As stunning as a dogwood?
As winsome as the willow?
Will they look at us and weep,
as their kindreds are cut down,
clear cut in the horrors of our times.
In their growing,
will they look at us with love.
With hope? With understanding?
Will they know we did the best we could?
Or that when we failed
we were simply too afraid.
The Seedling
It never ceases to amaze me
That a seed placed into the soil
And given sunlight and water
Will sprout and flourish and grow
Into whatever it is meant to be.
Karri Temple Brackett
May 10. 2023
Seedling
A spark
Blushing darkness in the
Void starting somewhere
Nowhere until it begins to
Crunch forward restless as
The dawn’s eye in a crouching
Tiger spit fire doesn’t even sound
The same doesn’t even play
The same jibber jabber rags to
Riches princess in the ruins
Edge edgy until you love it
Until it seduces you just like
All the others who hold onto
Their kites and sent them
Soaring golden with the eagle who
Peers with golden eye wisdom and
Elegance that always let them
Finish it explosively writing
Banners on the tall
Wall that proclaim your
Fire