The Garden Beneath the Garden
Reading the poem as an allegory of life itself
On the surface, this is a poem about gardening. Read deeper and it becomes an allegory — a poem whose real subject is bigger than its words. Tap each theme to see both layers.
Three themes — surface and deeper meaning.
The surface meaning: the gardener, like a painter, composes with colour, light, and arrangement. Tending a garden is a creative act, not just labour.
The deeper meaning: the garden's cycle — planting, patient waiting, blooming, renewal — mirrors the journey of a life. Dreams are 'planted true' and, with patience, bloom in their season.
The poem's quiet claim: art is not something kept in galleries, apart from living. In a garden, 'art and life coincide' — making beauty and living are the same act.
The poet mentions green, red, and blue — but Kaveri suggests adding yellow would have strengthened the imagery. Do you agree? What does yellow bring to a garden-painting that green, red, and blue don't — and does leaving it out weaken the poem, or is three colours enough?
Take a moment to form your answer before reading further.
Q1.An allegory is a poem/story that:
On the surface, this is a poem about gardening. Read deeper and it becomes an allegory — a poem whose real subject is bigger than its words. Tap each theme to see both layers.
Three themes — surface and deeper meaning.
The surface meaning: the gardener, like a painter, composes with colour, light, and arrangement. Tending a garden is a creative act, not just labour.
The deeper meaning: the garden's cycle — planting, patient waiting, blooming, renewal — mirrors the journey of a life. Dreams are 'planted true' and, with patience, bloom in their season.
The poem's quiet claim: art is not something kept in galleries, apart from living. In a garden, 'art and life coincide' — making beauty and living are the same act.
The poet mentions green, red, and blue — but Kaveri suggests adding yellow would have strengthened the imagery. Do you agree? What does yellow bring to a garden-painting that green, red, and blue don't — and does leaving it out weaken the poem, or is three colours enough?
Take a moment to form your answer before reading further.
Q1.An allegory is a poem/story that: