Seeds
by Walter de la Mare
The seeds I sowed —
For weeks unseen —
Have pushed up pygmy
Shoots of green;
So frail you’d think
The tiniest stone
Would never let
A glimpse be shown.
But no; a pebble
Near them lies,
At least a cherry-stone
In size,
Which that mere sprout
Has heaved away,
To bask in sunshine,
See the Day.
I found this poem in a lovely old book called The Book of the Seasons: An Anthology, made and decorated by Eve 
Garnett. She was a British author and illustrator, and we have thoroughly enjoyed her children’s novels and her sweet pencil drawings over the years.
This book has classical poetry, both full poems and excerpts, that are rich in language, and prolifically illustrated by Garnett. It’s a quiet book, filled with deep appreciation for the natural world as it passes through the seasons.
I see there are a few used copies for sale on Amazon. Here’s the link:A Book of the Seasons
Elizabeth Steinglass is hosting Poetry Friday today, so visit her blog for links to many terrific posts on poetry.
[…] it’s still snowing in Minnesota, Jill at Orange Marmalade is thinking spring and shares a hopeful poem about seeds from The Book of The Seasons: An Anthology […]
I love this “Seeds” poem – especially the lines:
“Which that mere sprout
Has heaved away,
To bask in sunshine,
See the Day.”
Sending you warm sunshine from Tucson!
Some of my very favorite children’s poems are from old books of treasures. Thanks for sharing this one.
What a lovely poem and the picture is so sweet! Thanks for the share!