Author Archives: Matthew Pullar

The day before the abundance breaks,I gather fallen plums and pick upfragments of tinsel shed around the trampoline.Preparing for an iso-Christmas we clean outthe fridge and I carry a tea towel full of leftovervegetables to the compost heap.Deep in the warmth of the bin, excess becomeshumus, steams and steeps in readiness fornext year’s garden. IContinue reading “Advent Garden: Week 4”

Miserly with my days, I scrooge awayminutes, hoarding time the wayothers hoard wealth, as thougheach moment to myself were a treasure hordes might steal.Bethlehem’s abundance shames me.In poverty, in absence of room,heaven brims wide with nothing to hide.The excess of my garden laughs awaythe miser in me. Come play, it chuckles.Delight.

In this city of constantseasonal confusion, the childrenmust learn and relearn yearly howsummer’s advent only sometimes meansafternoons under the sprinkler or ice cream.Sometimes it meansweeklong downpours and a garden sowaterlogged it becomes a marsh.The cross we made for “pretend Easter”now lies facedown in a puddle, a crypticsign of cradle foreshadowingCalvary, while we in thus inbetweenwatchContinue reading “Advent Garden: Week 2”

Peach and plum droptiny unripe fruit scarcelybigger than a stone and Igather them for compost andto ward off rot and fruit flies.Yes, you look to the trees and seesummer declared by thesesigns of fruit. But why thiskamikaze harvest flungsenselessly early? And how manywill remain patient on the branch until time in its fullness bids themContinue reading “Advent Garden: Week One”