Mrs. Midas - The Divers

Around the corner and down the block

My friends and I would go see Mrs. Midas

Summer mornings under sunny skies

We’d race our bikes to Mrs. Midas'

An old woman with a heart of gold

And a plot of land with a garden on it

A vegetation wonderland

If God made a plant Mrs. Midas could grow it

Swiss chard, bell peppers, radishes, and cucumbers

Carrots and peas

She would turn over God’s good earth

And she could feel His peace

Violets, geraniums, zinnias, snap dragons

She’d plant and preen

Periwinkle, hollyhocks, roses and forget-me-nots

Everything she touched turned green

She’d give us tomatoes we could bite like apples

A mouth full of sun and rain and loving care

We’d play hide and seek in the sweet corn rows

Or have a rhubarb sword fight and eat our weapons there

She’d make us bouquets that we could give our mothers

Flowers fresh enough to tempt a honey bee

And send us off with veggies we could bring back home

Each one tasting like she had a recipe

Swiss chard, bell peppers, radishes, and cucumbers

Carrots and peas

She would turn over God’s good earth

And she could feel His peace

Violets, geraniums, zinnias, snap dragons

She’d plant and preen

Periwinkle, hollyhocks, roses and forget-me-nots

Everything she touched turned green

Mrs. Midas had an aging soul

And it got called back to her creator

The old woman and her plants are gone

But the grass is greener where they laid her

The gray gardener left her mark

She reached in and she touched my heart

and planted seeds within me that will keep on growing

gardening and kindness are related arts

Swiss chard, bell peppers, radishes, and cucumbers

Carrots and peas

She would turn over God’s good earth

And she could feel His peace

Violets, geraniums, zinnias, snap dragons

She’d plant and preen

Periwinkle, hollyhocks, roses and forget-me-nots

Everything she touched turned green