Monday, July 28, 2008

Daffadowndilly



Daffadowndilly
Has come into town,
In a yellow petticoat
And a green gown.
~~Mother Goose


Poetry and gardening seem to go hand in hand. Any gardener given enough time will compose a little prose about their patch eventually. Now to get them to admit this and perhaps recite one or two of these little ditties may take a lot of time, trust, and/or wine.

I have found that my heart and mind combine in the garden is calm though. And after a long day slog in the garden, a little poetry after dinner lightens my heart even more. I don't have a recipe for this, except I do slip little poem cards into my recipe box here and there, and they amuse the heck out of me or whomever I have looked through my recipe box.
A.A. Milne,* of Winnie the Pooh fame, wrote about daffodils in his poem "Daffadowndilly" and this reminded me of poems and how important like gardening and cooking, an appreciation of poetry is important to pass along to children. Most children's books are poetical in some way, and it is best to encourage them. I have found most people that pooh-pooh something do it out of lack of understanding, or they are just parroting something they have heard. Poetry like music as structure and takes an active mind to perform. I found an interesting book on teaching poetry to children, and if I can get it I will, its called "Poems Please: Sharing Poetry",* it looks quite interesting.

Strow me the ground with daffadowndillies,
And cowslips, and kingcups, and loved lilies. ~~Spenser.

*Many of the links above are paid links and pay a commission if you buy something.  I make enough so that I have a regular 9-5 job.  I own most if not all of the items recommended or have borrowed them.