The Poetic Garden

By the Spontaneously Creative Plants

Luiza Oliveira
PermacultureWomen
3 min readMar 31, 2020

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Picture by Luiza Oliveira at Zein’s garden 2019

I come along when winter is no longer around.

I thrive where others find too hard to be, but once I have made some space, the others come along.

My roots are deep and my arms embrace and dance with the challenges of what the new season has to bring.

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I like to enjoy the kiss of the afternoon sun on my skin,

I like to hear the local news by the wind whispering them in my ears,

I like to experience the voluptuous touch of the water every time it rains,

And I love to play with the enthusiastic bees who are amused by my nectar.

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My leaves are a bit bitter to prepare you and others for the sweetness and excitement that spring is going to bring.

I am tender, I am bitter, I am gentle and I am strong.

I am a pioneer. I am the one who opens the space for others to flourish with me, even when I am gone.

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Some people see me as a symbol of Courage, some as a symbol of Resistance, others see me as a symbol of Stubbornness, but never mind … other people see me as a symbol of Hope.

The thing is, I am none and I am all. At the same time.

I tent to support others in making easier to understand what complexity is, making it easier to digest. Complexity is a real beauty, but sometimes it overwhelms some folks, and I am here to share some recipes when those times come, and we travel together toward complexity, one step at a time.

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Come here, feel the sun with me. Stop a bit and lay down next to me.

Can you feel how gentle is the sun today?

Let the wind play with your hair.

Let those aunts climb your arm.

Let the bee buzz you a bit.

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The wind has told me that the humans are more worried these days. I must say, I found it curious to feel a new kind of silence lately.

I mean, we all have different cycles, rhythms, and pace, no? And I thought that maybe your winter has come.

Are you worried?

I understand.

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Come closer, and let me remind you of something.

Winter times can be challenging in many ways. Moments of grief and mourning are expected. But when the winter starts to fade, remember me. I will be back and so does the Spring.

Now, take some of my seeds and make a wish.

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Luiza Oliveira
PermacultureWomen

I am a person with many passions, practicing a decolonial approach to health. More at possiblefutures.earth/luiza