“Last Gasp” by Bill Hengst is a vivid and captivating poem about a garden that personifies its final burst of life and color before the onset of Winter. The poem celebrates the resilience and exuberance of various plants and flowers as they defy the changing seasons, showcasing their unique characteristics and behaviors.

Hengst skillfully employs botanical terminology to create a rich tapestry of imagery in this poem about a garden, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the garden’s autumnal splendor. He highlights the interactions between plants and pollinators, such as the bumblebees that “dazzle the Solidago” while finding respite on the soft florets of Sedum. This attention to detail in the poem emphasizes the interconnectedness of the garden’s ecosystem.

The poem also explores the contrasting nature of the plants, with some outlasting others, like the Anemones surpassing the Buddleias, and the Viburnums undergoing a transformative color change. Hengst playfully anthropomorphizes the Ageratum in this poem about a garden, describing its “promiscuous” behavior and likening its white flowers to flashing “panties.” This creative personification adds a touch of humor and allure to the garden’s final display in the poem.

As the poem progresses, the tone shifts to a more daring and defiant stance. The Asters, once considered “sissies,” now boldly sport “purple eye-shade,” while the Aconitum is portrayed as a sinister presence, promising “sure death” to its next victims. This juxtaposition of beauty and danger heightens the sense of urgency and intensity in the garden’s last gasp.

The sunflowers and zinnias, in particular, are praised for their unwavering resistance to the changing seasons, refusing to succumb to the inevitable arrival of Winter. This defiance is encapsulated in the poem’s closing lines, where the garden is personified as a rebellious entity, determined to make the most of its remaining time by throwing a wild and audacious party.

Through vivid imagery, personification, and a keen eye for botanical details, Bill Hengst’s “Last Gasp” celebrates the garden’s final hurrah, inviting readers to appreciate the beauty, resilience, and untamed spirit of nature, even in the face of impending darkness. This poem about a garden serves as a reminder to embrace life’s fleeting moments and to find joy in the vibrant, unapologetic display of a garden’s last stand against the inevitable march of time.

Last Gasp

By Bill Hengst

Fall is when gardens act out,
Their crops bodacious.
Sedum’s soft florets make landing pads
for bumblebees that dazzle the Solidago.
Anemones outlast Buddleias.
Viburnums change colors.
Ageratum, always promiscuous,
flaunts its nakedness
with flashes of white panties.
Asters, no longer sissies,
sport purple eye-shade.
Aconitum promises sure death
for its next victims.
Sunflower and zinnias defy the calendar.

The garden will not quit.
It’s as if it says:
We have five months to kill,
let’s throw a party.
Dance outrageous.

Published originally in 2023, in GreenPrints Issue #135.

This poem about a garden comes from our archive, which spans over 30 years and includes more than 140 magazine issues of GreenPrints. Pieces like these that inject the joy of gardening into everyday life lessons always brighten up my day, and I hope it does for you as well. Enjoy!

What did you think of Last Gasp? Leave a comment below.