15 Apr 24 - 03:45 PM (#4201005) Subject: Lyr Add: Garden Waste by Les Barker From: Monologue John Garden Waste (Les Barker) I’d never had a garden, So I smiled all summer; watched it grow. Flowers came and flowers went, With gifts of colour, shape and scent. And as I watched the seasons turn, I knew I had a lot to learn. One thought in my young head was placed; One must not waste one’s garden waste. And so I bought a compost bin, And put my garden waste therein, In hopes in time it would decay, And so it proved one spring day. I spread it on my garden so The mulch would help my garden grow. And so it proved, for very soon, I found I had to cut and prune. I cut and pruned and hacked and mowed, It seemed I had more than I’d sowed! Still June, it seems impossible; My compost bin’s already full. I bought a second compost bin, And put my garden waste therein, In hopes in time it would decay, And so it proved one autumn day. I spread it on my garden, those two bin fulls; How my garden grows! And grow it did, for very soon, I found I had to cut and prune. The garden waste that I had used, Made richer soil which thus produced more garden waste. What can I do? I filled in one, I filled in two. I bought a third compost bin, And put my garden waste therein, In hopes in time it would decay, And so it did one April day. Bed and lawn, I mulched them both, And watched in fear for signs of growth. And grow it did, for very soon, I found I had to cut and prune…. ….And hack and strim and mow and chop, Another bloody bumper crop! A vintage year for garden waste, And soon the problem must be faced. I make a start: I fill bins one and two and three, The work goes on! For I have cut and gathered in, Enough to fill another bin! I went and bought bin number four. I’ll not do this any more…. I go out every evening late; I sneak out through my garden gate, I lay my treasure down instead, On someone else’s flowerbed. And having thus enriched their loam, I steal their slugs and take them home. I see their gardens, how they grow! I look at mine and does it? No. I watch them toil, I watch them weep……… ………..I close my eyes and go to sleep. |