When the Green Gits Back in the Trees: The Garden Poetry of James Whitcomb Riley
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
October 7, 1849
Dearest reader,
On this day was born James Whitcomb Riley, beloved American writer and poet fondly known as the "Hoosier Poet."
Born in Indiana, Riley’s poetry captured the voice of the common man, weaving humor and sentiment into over a thousand poems, many written in heartfelt dialect. His deeply nostalgic verse charmed readers who saw in his words the simple joys and struggles of rural life.
Among Riley’s many poetic offerings are beautiful meditations on flowers and gardens.
Consider this excerpt from his well-loved poem When The Green Gits Back In The Trees:
In spring, when the green gits back in the trees,
And the sun comes out and stays,
And yer boots pulls on with a good tight squeeze,
And you think of yer bare-foot days;
…
When the green gits back in the trees —
When the whole tail-feathers o' Wintertime
Is all pulled out and gone!
…and the sap it thaws and begins to climb,
And the swet it starts out on
A feller's forred, a-gittin' down
At the old spring on his knees—
When the green gits back in the trees —
Riley’s evocative poems celebrate the rhythms of the seasons and the enduring bond between people and the land. Each year in his hometown of Greenfield, Indiana, the Riley Festival joyously honors his life and legacy, culminating in a flower parade that places blooms around his statue —a fitting tribute to a poet whose words continue to blossom in the hearts of many.
Dear reader, as the green returns to the trees in your own seasons, might you pause to reflect on Riley’s tender gaze toward the natural world?
How do the garden’s first flourishes stir memories or awaken new hopes?
And how might the poetry of everyday nature continue to enrich our lives, just as Riley’s verses have done for generations?
