The Gardener 73: Mother Earth
The Gardener 73: Mother Earth - meaning Summary
Love Despite Imperfect Bounty
The poem addresses the earth as a patient, imperfect mother who labors to sustain human life despite scarcity and sorrow. The speaker accepts the world’s limits—fragile joys, unfinished beauty, and persistent suffering—yet responds with devotion: songs, love, and work offered as worship. It affirms attachment to the natural world not for perfection or immortality but for its tender, mournful presence and the moral duty to care for it.
Read Complete AnalysesInfinite wealth is not yours, my patient and dusky mother dust! You toil to fill the mouths of your children, but food is scarce. The gift of gladness that you have for us is never perfect. The toys that you make for your children are fragile. You cannot satisfy all our hungry hopes, but should I desert you for that? Your smile which is shadowed with pain is sweet to my eyes. Your love which knows not fulfilment is dear to my heart. From your breast you have fed us with life but not immortality, that is why your eyes are ever wakeful. For ages you are working with colour and song, yet your heaven is not built, but only its sad suggestion. Over your creations of beauty there is the mist of tears. I will pour my songs into your mute heart, and my love into your love. I will worship you with labour. I have seen your tender face and I love your mournful dust, Mother Earth.
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