~ Ellen Herrick
The Herb Garden - Castle Acre Priory, Norfolk
photo by Glen Bowman
I turned a quote by Henry Beston into a found poem for Poetry Friday. It made me think about how everyone, no matter their appearance, is more than what you see.
Wholeness
by Henry Beston
A garden of herbs
is a garden of things
loved for themselves
in their wholeness
and integrity.
It is not
a garden of flowers,
but a garden of plants
which are sometimes
very lovely flowers
and are always
more than flowers.
*********
I'm going to be having a little herb tasting week for my family in July, using recipes from Rosalee De La Forêt's Taste of Herbs exercise collection. (If you are interested, I would check out her Alchemy of Herbs book which I think has similar recipes but isn't part of a larger class. Also here's a video of her making an elderberry recipe from Taste of Herbs.)
Carol's Corner has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Carol!
P.S. Diane shared a quote from my dad's book Wider Thoughts on the Team IMPERFECT blog yesterday.
I love Henry Beston's books, and somehow that word you chose to be "found" that I loved here is "wholeness". Each stands by itself, missing nothing. Thanks, Tabatha, your herb tasting sounds nice.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delicious poem Tabatha, and the website for Henry Beston And Elizabeth Coatsworth is wonderful thanks for directing us there. I liked the video on the oxymel too. The herb tasting sounds fun, thanks for sharing all!
ReplyDeleteA herb tasting. What fun. I do love that last line of your found poem. Well - a little more than the last line, actually; always / more than flowers.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful that you're highlighting Henry Beston today and I shared a poem from Elizabeth Coatsworth!? Now, if only someone shares some Kate Barnes poetry, we'll be all set! I'm going to check out the website you shared. I am ashamed to say I know little of these two authors -- that will be fun to rectify this summer! Your herb testing week sounds delightful. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Harry Beston at all, so of course I had to follow your link to his website. I read the "ABOUT" section, which of course made me think I need to hunt down his book and move to a small cottage on Cape Cod. I love thinking about how people are "sometimes very lovely flowers and are always more than flowers." Big truth there. I am always amazed by you creative types-- you write beautiful poetry and make wonderful books and then you cook with fresh herbs besides! Holy cow!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a yummy post! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Linda. In their wholeness really resonated with me. There is something lovely about seeing something in its wholeness. What an amazing garden!
ReplyDeleteA grand ending... ditto Kathryn's fav "always more than flowers".
ReplyDeleteWell! I am getting to know Elizabeth and Henry *uite well this morning! My love affair with herbs is a steady but modest thing, ever since I had to admit that I'm not a natural gardener. Herbs are what I don't do best, and this year I didn't get around to putting the basics into pots on my patio until this past Wednesday morning! Rosemary, mint, oregano, thyme, basil--that's all I need for a happy summer. Thank you for bringing Henry's words forth in simple wholeness.
ReplyDeleteWanna go for a walk sometime soon?