Tuesday, September 30, 2008

For Leo and all the Leos of the World

(the first of the potatoes, dug today.)


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Leo and all the Leos of the World

Sometimes my heart breaks, just a little bit.
And I don’t know why that is or where that comes from.
I see him mowing and chopping and planting
And stacking and reaping, picking up sticks from my lawn
Gathering the golden brown leaves of the tired summer trees
Making straight lines along the wondrous green of the grass
Like himself, for he walks so straight, like a military man.
He makes me giggle sometimes over silly stuff.
He gathers up things from the shore that I might like.
Old keys, glass bottles, multi-coloured feathers, odd bits of driftwood,
And presents them to me like the priceless gifts that they are.
He’s very clear and direct. He knows his likes and dislikes.
And announces them without apology or humility.
He knows he had a bad accident when just a lad.
That affected his brain forever and ever.
A wondrous twelve year old in the body of a fifty-eight year old.
He tells me he likes me very much
And that he loves working for me
As I treat him fair and don’t torment him like others do.
He treats my welfare like his own, fixing things,
Working things out patiently as I watch, learning his patience.
I treat his welfare like my own, feeling his hurts,
Watching out for others’ thoughtless cruelties.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Leo with one of our extraordinary potatoes, raised on kelp from the shore.




And how to best cook these babies?
Like my mother did, like my grandmother did. Boiled in their jackets, in fresh sea water with loads of fresh garden mint in the pot.

9 comments:

  1. Makes you want to have a Leo in your life.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I feel so blessed he is in mine, Irene.
    I'd be lost without him.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a precious friendship, WWW!

    And what a crop of "praties"!

    MMmmmm - potatoes are my favourite food, cooked any way at all, but your way sounds especially delicious, maybe with a knob of proper farm butter added to the plate.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Drowning in butter, more like, T. One potato provides 3/4 meals. I had a fry up of some of the leftovers for breakfast this morning. Yum!
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  5. That sounds like a lovely friendship that's very life-enhancing for you both. Long may it continue. And long may the spuds continue too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is, Nick, though limited of course. There is so much he doesn't understand. He doesn't need to, of course. And some of his skills are way beyond what one would expect.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow what a lovely poem!

    What a great guy!

    I bet the potatoes taste great too - must be bulging with vitamins grown in Kelp!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you Laura!
    I wrote it while watching him mow the back meadow.
    The potatoes are beyond great, they are fantabulous, I've given many away as there was quite a bit of potato envy I needed to dissipate ;^)
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love reading your sharing. Here in my new cottage by the woods - would love to have a Leo.
    Your posts make me smile, cry and think!!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome. Anonymous comments will be deleted unread.

Email me at wisewebwomanatgmaildotcom if you're having trouble.