HOW TO PLANT EMPATHY IN OUR BACK GARDEN

A gentle guide to cultivating kindness, even when the world feels upside down

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Shut off the news.
We have seen enough.
The summer solstice has passed,
And the slant of the earth tilts downward.

Listen to the mournful, repetitive coo of a pigeon
And let the tears flow,
Cleansing, soothing.

But take heart; we will not plant despair.
We will raise the corners of our lips,
Find our strength
In the quiet power of our kindness,
Because,

We are the world.

We will open our lungs to cool mornings,
Bellow “hello”!
We will smile and wave at our neighbours,
Even if (as yet) they have never acknowledged us,
Even if (as yet) they do not strike us as our type.

As tempting as it is,
We will not mount our high horse.
High horses always rid themselves of the smug and self-righteous.

Instead, we will saddle our most honest horse,
The one we have today,
And ride gently forward.

We’ll plod and plant.
We’ll till and bake
We’ll stitch and speak.

We will help each other onward
And smother the flames of cruelty
With the slow steady glow of resolute kindness.



With love and grace,

Francesca xx

Praise for Illicit Croissants At Dawn

"The best way to start my day! Delightful, amusing truths delivered deliciously often disguising deep truths but always leaving me feeling energised for what is to come.

A wonderful book of highly accessible and beautifully written poetry.
Do buy it." - Matthew