Collection 3: "Allied with Green" by Naomi Shihab Nye

Then she runs around for a few days doing other things but noticing the green poking up between buildings, on sides of roads, in front of even the poorest homes, how pots of green lined on rickety front porches, hanging baskets of green on light posts downtown, the new meticulous xeriscape beds of puffy green grasses and plants alongside the river, are what seem to keep everything else going.

Last semester, when asked to write a paper on addictions, Lucy wrote about trimming and got a C. Her teacher scrawled across the top of the paper, “What is this?”

Last semester, when asked to write a paper on addictions, Lucy wrote about trimming and got a C. Her teacher scrawled across the top of the paper, “What is this?”

But Lucy often feels happiest with pruning shears in her hand, heading toward an overgrown jasmine vine.

Later, feeling remorseful, or sickened by the new view, they name everything for green—Oak Meadows, Lone Pine.

He plants free trees in scrappy medians, as an apology.

In Dallas people run around the lake or refresh themselves at the arboretum.

San Antonians send their kids to summer digging classes at the botanical gardens.

This was the serious question growing small fronds and tendrils at the heart of Lucy’s paper.

This was the serious question growing small fronds and tendrils at the heart of Lucy’s paper.

Lucy found his obituary in the newspaper, clipped it out, and placed it on her desk.

Tend was a more important verb than most people realized.