Garden Muse Day: Patience is a Virtue

The title today was a favorite saying of a teacher of mine in high school and seems very fitting for this first day of February. No matter what the groundhog tells us tomorrow, we are in for another six weeks of winter, and as gardeners, it is difficult to be patient. While I often have a poem already in mind for Muse Day, sometimes I have to search for one as I did today. The poem I've chosen really struck a chord with me as it reminded me that spring will come eventually.

The Garden in Winter

Frosty-white and cold it lies

Underneath the fretful skies;

Snowflakes flutter where the red

Banners of the poppies spread,

And the drifts are wide and deep

Where the lilies fell asleep.

But the sunsets o'er it throw

Flame-like splendor, lucent glow,

And the moonshine makes it gleam

Like a wonderland of dream,

And the sharp winds all the day

Pipe and whistle shrilly gay.

Safe beneath the snowdrifts lie

Rainbow buds of by-and-by;

In the long, sweet days of spring

Music of bluebells shall ring,

And its faintly golden cup

Many a primrose will hold up.

Though the winds are keen and chill

Roses' hearts are beating still,

And the garden tranquilly

Dreams of happy hours to be­

In the summer days of blue

All its dreamings will come true.

by Lucy Maud Montgomery *

To everything there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under heaven...

--Ecclesiastes 3:1

*Many of you no doubt will recognize the poet, but I must sheepishly admit that I couldn't remember who she was. While not well-known for her poetry, Lucy Maud Montgomery was, of course, the beloved author of Anne of Green Gables.

Garden Muse Day is brought to you the first of each month by Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago; visit her for other musings on February.