Buying Beginnings

Yes, winter has a heart,

A strong, steady murmur

You can feel here in the

North Country, sitting

Before the fireplace on

A bitter cold and stormy

Day, hot coffee in hand.

And in the heart of winter

I contemplate buying

Beginnings, pondering

Possibilities of planting

Kale in the lower fields,

Which will need to be

limed, tomatoes in the

Still to be built maybe

greenhouse, cucumbers

in the field behind, Summer

Squash and zucchini

In the front fields, maybe.

The seeds come in one

Pound bags, hundreds of

Thousands of beginnings all

Told, ready to take root once

Winter finally sleeps, though

There is much to do before,

Send soil samples to the

University, build Potato bins,

Set the irrigation lines, till

The fields, broadcast

Fertilizer, and more, but it

Begins In the heart of winter,

Before the fire, sipping hot

Coffee and contemplating

Buying beginnings.