Words of Wisdom

GROW, GROW, GROW

Adages, and admonitions, and aphorisms, oh my!

people quote proverbs without realizing they’re really in awe of the authority of their truth and the power of their expression…” John Geddes

There are the aphorisms, all-knowing and infuriating. Absence makes the heart GROW fonder. Mighty oaks from little acorns GROW. Supercilious smugness in every syllable.

There are the admonitions, tut-tut superior and directing. GROW up. Money doesn’t GROW on trees. Do as I say, not as I do advisers.

There is the dismissal, uncaring and hard-hearted. Don’t let the grass GROW under your feet, Turning its back in indifferent farewell.

There are the reassurances, hand-holding prophets of fortunate outcomes. You will GROW out of it. You will GROW into it. Opposite outcomes somehow being equally predictive of joy.

Last, there are the sad stories, resigned to unhappy endings. GROW apart. GROW cold. Two-word sentences that spell distance.

I wrote this poem in response to Janice Maves, obviously a fellow gardener, who wisely noted:

I pause on the back deck looking down at the garden. Where even in the dawn it is hard to write, When there are weeds crowding between the beans.

in her poem

As her part of the NeverEnding poem challenge, she said:

The prompt for the next part of The Never Ending Poem is: Growing

I will tag five people who I think would write some awesome stuff, and I want everyone who feels the pull to write about the topic too! The only rule is: tag me in it so I can see, and tag five others to keep this rolling!

My prompt is Change for Kevin Keeney, Emily Buenting, Imad, David Rudder, and Austin Pettigrew. Remember:

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.…… William Arthur Ward