Valerie Green
About Valerie
Valerie is a writer and landscaper in central Illinois. Valerie balances a passion for literature with a dedication to family and the natural world. Her creative work has appeared in MAYFLY magazine, a journal of evocative haiku, and Collage, a Millikin University publication of diverse artistic expression.
Whether shaping a poem or a garden, Valerie is committed to the art of careful cultivation in every project, believing that the best work—whether it’s on a page or in the soil—requires patience, keen observation, and a bit of dirt under the fingernails.
Laundry Detergent and Coffee Grounds
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As the day winds up or down,
I find myself scooping and thinking
or blindly blinking.
Did I make the list or not?
When did I water those pots?
What did I let slip?
No longer scooping, I start to sit.
It’s not always age that makes us forget.
Routine quiets the mind;
the body moves on its own.
The reinless horse finds his way home.
© 2004 by Valerie Green