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Gentle Giant Awakens
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Gunnera manicata awakens
like a slow volcano
not arousing any suspicion
of just how big you’ll be
Top gun of my garden
every summer
you amaze me
Though you sleep
so soundly
like a gentle giant
in winter’s slumber land
You spring forth
as earth warms
soaking up April showers
as air fills a balloon
Reaching higher
until you’re aloft
dwarfing all others
But tonight
heavy frost threatens
So I cut you down
stalk by stalk
Covering you
with blankets
made from
your expansive wings
Sleep gentle giant
until your volcano
erupts again
in spring!
Wendy/2012
When we bought our old house from a lady who had lived here and raised her children here for over 23 years, she advised me to cover up the Gunnera every fall. So I do. She lowered the price on this house, for us, once she realized that we loved the garden and would care for it. Developers have been very busy in our neighborhood ripping out trees and putting up more new homes. Not on our place, though. Not while I’m still awake…
Giant Blessings ~ Wendy
Thank you, Lord, for letting us enjoy this garden.