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Hands in the Dirt

My Jungle Grows Green

By Sandy GillmanPublished 3 months ago 1 min read
Hands in the Dirt
Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash

As another ring materialises

on my trunk,

a gentle reminder to be

kind to myself

helps me stay anchored.

Life can be tough.

Sometimes even the humble things

can hollow you out.

I take nourishment

from the simple pleasures:

a movie night.

a sip of gin.

A tree can only be as strong

as the forest that surrounds it.

Hands in the dirt,

I nurture my family,

my pillars of strength,

and keep our jungle green.

The challenges we face

only make our roots grow deeper.

While my gnarled branches

reach toward the sun,

I know I have my

little family

by my side.

Free Verselove poemsFamily

About the Creator

Sandy Gillman

I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  3. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

  1. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  3. Masterful proofreading

    Zero grammar & spelling mistakes

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Comments (19)

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  • RAOM26 days ago

    Moving, spiritually nourishing, with a clear and beautiful message about love, connection with nature, and creativity.

  • Julie Lacksonen2 months ago

    Cool analogy you built here. Lovely poem! 💚

  • Lovely imagery & inspirational regarding the importance of family.

  • L.I.E3 months ago

    Awww very beautiful poem. Such a healing activity to dewell in nature.

  • L.C. Schäfer3 months ago

    Gorgeous imagery ❤️

  • C. Rommial Butler3 months ago

    Well-wrought! Trees thrive where they are firmly rooted.

  • Ashley Houston3 months ago

    I love how you personify a tree as a mother! Beautiful piece! 💚

  • Caitlin Charlton3 months ago

    I resonate so much with this line, 'sometimes the humble things can hollow you out' Love how you butter the wisdom on this toasted poem of self love and wellbeing. Only make our root grow deeper. Love the point made here 👌🏾 Such a sweet ending too. 🤗❤️🖤👏🏾

  • Denise E Lindquist3 months ago

    Nature is healing too! Thank you!💕💗

  • Tiffany Gordon3 months ago

    Gorgeous and inspiring! Go Sandy! 💪🏾🎉

  • Imola Tóth3 months ago

    I love this part:"Sometimes even the humble things can hollow you out." So true, when we overstretch ourselves and forget to water our roots, anything can feel taxing. I love how you used the metaphor of a tree for this!

  • Parvathi J3 months ago

    Aaha, short and sweet, the most essential "Hands in the dirt".

  • Mariann Carroll3 months ago

    Our family does remind us our priority. Stay happy !

  • I love trees and this is a great celebration

  • Annie Kapur3 months ago

    Gorgeous imagery and gorgeous poem mate! Such a warm piece of writing!

  • This was so lovely and beautifully written!

  • Aarish3 months ago

    This poem feels like a deep breath after a long day. I love how comforting and real your words are.

  • Sweet and very motivating lines sandy. Great stuff @Sandy Gillman

  • Very sweet I love your writing I relate so much as a mom

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