The Poetry Sisters challenge this month was Wabi-Sabi. I just re-read the prompt and realized that Wabi-Sabi was supposed to be the title of the poem. Oh, well. I’ll claim the third truth of Wabi-Sabi — nothing is perfect!
In his book Wabi-Sabi Simple, Richard Powell described wabi-sabi as a philosophy that acknowledges a lifestyle that appreciates and accepts three simple truths: “Nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.” I embrace this philosophy whole-heartedly in my gardening.
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Lawn
dappled
with clover.
Exuberant
mish-mash flower beds.
One raised bed all fennel —
buffet for black swallowtails.
Three kinds of milkweed for monarchs.
Landscaping by Wabi-Sabi, Inc.
© Mary Lee Hahn, 2024
Here’s how the rest of the Poetry Sisters Wabi’d their Sabi:
Liz @ Liz Garton Scanlon
Tanita @ {fiction, instead of lies}
Laura @ Laura Purdie Salas
Sara @ Read Write Believe
and Tricia has this week’s Poetry Friday roundup @ The Miss Rumphius Effect
Next month, we’re writing haiku that give away something. Haiku that could be found on your local Buy Nothing FaceBook page, or at the curb during your community’s Free-cycle event.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Love the clarity of detail here…a whole bed of fennel! And your sense of humor. Maybe I’ll start saying my garden was landscaped by Wabi-Sabi, Inc. too. That would explain the chaos….um, I mean…imperfections! This was a challenging concept to put into a poem, but I love what you’ve done here.
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Landscaping by Wabi-Sabi, Inc! That should be the name of my butterfly garden. However, there is perfection in the passion flower. Clover is gone here. Too hot and humid. In the spring, we have fields and fields of it.
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Ha, Mary Lee, “Landscaping by Wabi Sabi, Inc.” – love it! May we all bring joy to others like your garden does to you, and the butterflies!
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“Landscaping by Wabi-Sabi Inc” describes my gardens to a tee! On the other hand, your nonet is perfect.
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Mary Lee, a perfect poem to describe your imperfect garden. That 8th line says so much. This garden is perfect for the monarchs, and that is a wonderful reason to garden. The last line made me smile! I think wabi-sabi is the perfect way to have a garden actually.
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Mary Lee, this is such a great example of “holding back” –of “show don’t tell” — the beauty and impermanence of a buffet for birds and bees… Pure delight!
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Honestly, wouldn’t it be fun to put up signs? Gardens By Wabi Sabi, Inc. – because my “meadow-as-yard” gets a lot of …surprised looks. The attentive detail works well to dispel any sense of “attentive melancholy” one might feel that nothing green and growing can stay the same. I like this snapshot.
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I love “mish-mash” flower beds. 🙂 Loved your beautiful surprise that you sent me in our poetry swap. It was waiting for me when I returned from Highlights! Thank you!
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Ha ha ha — that last line made me laugh out loud.
This is no surprise to me, that you create such beauty on the page and in the soil…
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Thank you, Mary Lee. Your garden sounds like a treasure of sights and smells!
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I love your last line, “Landscaping by Wabi-Sabi, Inc.” I think I have some of that too—And your “Three kinds of milkweed for monarchs.” Sounds enchanting, thanks Mary Lee!
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