Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Keeping Space #poetry #writingchallenge #Thursdaydoors

 


The Keeping Space


“Oh dear,” she exclaimed

surveying the room.

Her guest stumbled in,

“Should I loan you my broom?”


The Keeper just smiled,

“No, I do have my own.”

Her needs were so few,

after so long alone.


She pulled down some cups,

“Would you care for some tea?”

Her bins overflowed!

“Kind of you to visit me.”


The room dimly lit 

 showing all that she owned

was thick with dust and

her guest soon bemoaned,


“How can you live in

such disarray while,

 smiling, you ask

if I want tea today? 


Slowly she turned

to face her accuser.

“I may not be much

of a dust cloth user,”


She smiled sweetly


When it comes to it

you didn’t submit

a direction

 for inspection

of my worth.”


She sighed..


I may not live in 

sparkling clean bliss,

 my work has thus been

far greater than this.


Beyond that door

you just breezed through

is where I toil

and what I must do 


 I am the Keeper

of the garden you see

Nature depends on

the ‘dull’ folks like me


to plant, prune and plow,

fetch water from the stream~

encouraging tendrils

and kisses from sunbeams!


It occurs to me now,”

she said as she bristled,

“I’m neglecting my work.”

The tea kettle whistled.


“I’m afraid there’s no time,

thank you for coming,”

She opened the door,

her fingers drumming.


Flustered and fuming

her guest swept away.

She grabbed up her broom

and cried, “Happy day!”


Then brushing the dirt

off of the stones

she smiled to herself

“Silly old bones.”


“For all of her wealth

she can’t see the worth

of song on the wind

and gems from the earth.”


The Keeper then knelt

‘neath an old sprawling tree.

“Thank you dear Mother

for this gift you gave me.


As long as I live

I’ll toil with my heart,

tending our garden

until life I part.


Cheryl K Pennington

Copyright words 2023

Image by Susan Rushton


To join Dan Antion’s fun Doors Writing Challenge visit the link and read the specifics. There aren’t a lot of rules so have fun! Thanks Dan for keeping us all connected. 

26 comments:

  1. This is wonderful, Cheryl. I've been looking at that door and thinking about it. You captured it so well. Thanks for joining the challenge.

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  2. Thanks Dan. I’m so glad I made it!

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  3. Sigh. That was so touching. And what a great reminder.

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  4. Wonderful poem. One look at this image and I imagined who might be tending the beautiful garden. You captured her beautifully.

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    1. Thank you. And thanks for visiting me. 😊

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  5. Some day I want my house to be that dusty. Beautiful story Cheryl.

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    1. Thanks John. You are a constant conscientious gardener. πŸ™‚

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  6. Sweet. You did this door justice.

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    1. Thank you. 😊It’s a great little cottage garden.

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  7. Much like the Biblical story of Mary and Martha, your story tells a cautionary tale and reminds us to prioritize the important over the trivial. Well done!

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    1. Thank you. We need to prioritize our stewardship of this Earth. πŸ™‚

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  8. Cheryl, this is absolutely gorgeous! It is a beautiful poem and a beautiful story that tells me to worry less about the indoor dust and things and enjoy the beauty of nature more.

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    1. It’s one of the best ways I know to find peace and honor ature. Thanks Mary.

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  9. That was really lovely Cheryl -- and a great fit for the photo. Hugs.

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  10. What a wonderful story after my own heart. I'd much rather work outside with "...the of song on the wind and gems from the earth” than tidying the house. My daughter is the same way. I'm working on a poem for her inspired by this photo.

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    1. I’m sure it will be lovely. Thanks for stopping by. It’s always good to meet a kindred spirit! ❤️

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  11. what a beautiful door and "story"....

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    1. Thank you, I loved the image and would gladly tend this haphazard garden.

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  12. What a wonderful story with beautiful prose. I enjoyed it very much!

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    1. Thank you Brenda. So glad you enjoyed it. I knew a Brenda Cox in high school but that was a maiden name.

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    2. Oh that's funny. I don't hear of many people named Cox. :)

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    3. I knew quite a few in Louisiana and my grandmother married a man named Cox. He was from Australia.

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