Sun makes the day new.
Tiny green plants emerge from earth.
Birds are singing the sky into place.
There is nowhere else I want to be but here.
I lean into the rhythm of your heart to see where it will take us.
We gallop into a warm, southern wind.
I link my legs to yours and we ride together,
Toward the ancient encampment of our relatives.
Where have you been? they ask.
And what has taken you so long?
That night after eating, singing, and dancing
We lay together under the stars.
We know ourselves to be part of mystery.
It is unspeakable.
It is everlasting.
It is for keeps.

                              Joy Harjo

Hear the Poem

 

About the Poet

Joy Harjo was appointed the new United States poet laureate in 2019. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1951, Harjo is a member of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation. In this poem “For Keeps,” the poet emphasizes how important it is to remember one’s history and relation to all living things.

About the Pollination Garden

The Pollination Garden is a celebration of our native flora and fauna, particularly the species local to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. In the style of French garden designer and nurseryman, Olivier Filippi, this garden showcases the colors, textures and forms of the coastal sage scrub in a naturalistic but curated style. The majority of the plant palette are native Californian species sourced from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy and the Theodore Payne Foundation, but there is a sprinkling of plants from the other Mediterranean-climates and annual flowers for seasonal interest. As the garden grows and matures, we will start to see the undulating effect of the design. Native plants are great choices to plant in the garden, since Southern California is home, they need much less tending and water than conventional garden plants.

About Native Plants

Native plants and animals are indigenous to a particular region of the world. For example, the honeybee (Apis mellifera) is not indigenous to California, rather they originate from Europe. Whereas the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa) is indigenous to California and is specialized at pollinating squashes and relatives. Our native flora and pollinators have evolved together and rely on each other to complete their life cycles. Plants provide food as a host or nectar plant and habitat in the form of shelter, while pollinators ensure that plants bear fruit for animals and seeds for the next generation. Plant some native plants in your garden to help recreate habitat for our local fauna in an urbanizing world.

We want to thank the South Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society for their generous support which will go towards caring for the native plants in the Pollination Garden.
 

Want to learn more about California native plants and gardening in a Mediterranean climate? Check these resources out: