Buckle Down, Sister

a poem by Guest blogger: Kimberly Kling
of Joyful Roots

Listen to her podcast HERE

Buckle down, sister.
Hitch up your socks.
Push down your feelings.
Stomach in knots.

Conformity beckons,
A virulent touch,
That sucks the soul dry,
In a giant air box.

Gold at the table
Why would you want more?
Society tells you
Your love’s at the store.

But my riches lie elsewhere
In red dirt and bugs
In green things and growing things
In smiles and hugs.

The joyous expression
On my child’s face
When gleefully laughing
In a chicken yard chase.

Watching the sycamore
Grow taller each year
The peach and the plum trees’,
Ripe fruit that is near.

The slow singing river
With willow and rush
That swallows the evidence
Of society’s rush.

It’s not always easy
To break from the path
Expected by many
For fear of great lack.

But in nature we see
Abundance profound
All we need is to notice
The great gifts all around.

When we look with our heart
We can come from a place
That will see it is possible
To feed the whole human race.

The only place lack lives
Is between our two ears
Working in nature’s flow
Will wash away many fears.

The swamps and the prairies,
The rivers and lakes
The forest and mountains
Provide what it takes.

To care for all creatures
And gift us great pleasure,
If we love our Dear Planet
And treat her as a treasure.

(The two lines “The only place lack lives, is between our two ears” were inspired by Greg Peterson of The Urban Farm🌸)

UrbanFarm.org/buckledown

About this author:

Kimberly is an herbalist, mother, part-time homesteader, gardener, and the creatrix behind Joyful Roots, a botanical wellness brand. Kimberly and her family live on a 4-acre mini farm in a rural ranching town in Southern Arizona. She finds immense enjoyment in getting to know the local wild plants, experimenting with gardening, making art, creating with food and herbs, and exploring the land around her.
Through her business, Joyful Roots, her passions are channeled into to helping others cultivate their inner joy by amplifying their self-care rituals and growing deeper roots in our Mother Earth. Kimberly is committed to offering small batch, 100% natural body-care and soul-care products that nourish our bodies, respect the Earth, and empower us into greater well-being.