Flash, Haibun, Poem, Prosery

In Papa’s Garden

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for dVerse Poets Prosery: Yvor’s
“Time and the Garden”. Our host, Sanaa, asks us
to write a short piece of prosery of up to 144 words
and include a complete line from the poem
“Time and the Garden”. Here is my haibun.

Image courtesy: Green and brown grapes during daytime by Jose alfonso sierra, Unsplash

She hunched over her indestructible factory sewing machine, hands moving like quicksilver. I peeked through the curtain into my mother’s work corner. She sensed my presence but didn’t stop, didn’t look up. She asked what I wanted; I said to go for ice cream. She let out an exasperated, ragged sigh and reminded me of the mountain of alterations she had to complete. When she’s finished, maybe two days, we will go. Disappointed, I turned and saw my grandfather; he extended his hand, encouraging me to help him pick the fruit in his garden. “My little one, the future gathers in vine, bush, and tree: Persimmon, walnut, loquat, fig, and grape. Each one ripens at its own pace. Be patient with your mama, principessa. She’s doing the best she can.”

Patience, like the vine,
Lets the ripeness gently come,
Time will bring sweetness.


NAR©2025
144 Words

This is “Tangerine” by Led Zeppelin

Prosery: Yvor’s Time and the Garden

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

34 thoughts on “In Papa’s Garden”

    1. You are too kind, Michele! ☺️ This was a total pleasure. I don’t have many chances to write about my grandfather; he was the sweetest gentleman and I loved him dearly. We spent many hours in his fruit garden collecting sweet grapes, figs, peaches and meaty walnuts. Very special memories. Thank you, Michele. 🍇 🍑 🥰

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    1. It’s a true story, Penn. My mother was a workaholic. Even after retirement, she never sat still; there was always something in the house that needed cleaning, moving, painting, mending. She was not a people person; I found that missing link in my MIL. Thanks for your lovely comments, dear Penn. 💙

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      1. my MIL always looked at me as if she couldn’t understand what made me tic, … She was a little powerhouse, and there was me, newly married, unsure of myself, 14 years Robs junior, hoping for a new family, and I met a wall, … I used to visit with Rob, and be ignored, … Nowadays, I’d have talked to them to death, 😉… Oh well Nancy, I wish I’d met someone like your mother-in-law, …💙🤗

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        1. Me too, Penn. She was more of a mother to me than my own mother. Do not misunderstand …. my mother was a wonderful woman who had too many responsibilities thrust upon her at an early age (quitting school at 12 years of age and getting a part time job to care for her sick mother while her father held down 2 and 3 jobs). She had a hard life, lots of disappointments early on, and she built walls around herself to keep the pain out. The problem with walls is while pain and hurt can’t get in, love and joy can’t get out. We lost Bill’s mom way too young; his dad, too. Such great people gone far too soon. ♡

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