The Secret Garden

I've been waiting impatiently over the past few weeks for the rhododendrons in the Lesley Hancock Garden to reach their peak. This garden has been nicknamed The Secret Garden, because it is hidden beneath the trees and if you don't know that it's there, you could walk right past this small patch of splendor under the oaks.

Robert Bilinski, Montreal mathematician/poet, joined me this week. I asked him about his rather unusual combination of disciplines--he is a mathematics professor at College Montmorency and has been writing poetry since the age of twelve. To him, though, the two go naturally together and he finds that the aims of both are the same: to describe the world and to say the most in the least number of words, to look at structures and find the links between them, to tackle complexity and find the key to unlock it, and to uncover the difference between truth and falsehood. I have to admit that I've never looked at mathematics and poetry in quite this light and Robert is certainly a passionate and articulate spokesman for both.

Robert and I met for our early morning writing session among the rhododendrons. Robert decided to write haiku and I focussed on tanka. Historically in Japan, haiku tended to be written by men while tanka with its strong appeal to the emotions was often the preserve of female poets. Here is our poetic exchange interspersed with some photos from this beautiful garden.

**

under the balsams
my body surprises me
lungs binging on air

Robert Bilinski

breathing in deeply
the moist marsh air--
pure physicality
after all those
too cerebral men

Angela Leuck

late night outing
early trip to the garden
relaxing my jaw

Robert Bilinski

the soft spongy paths
of the marsh garden—
birds with their mating calls
sending messages
among the trees

Angela Leuck

**

branches puffing out
not quite like a puzzle
appeasing the eye

Robert Bilinski

rhododendrons
deep rust, pink
yellow and white—
fearing intoxication
I don't sit beside him

Angela Leuck

**

branches to be shred
the saw still on the ground
metal mouth ajar

Robert Bilinski

watching the light
shift on the ferns—
one minute he’s happy
the next he’s grumbling
my teenage son

Angela Leuck

**
shredded cadaver
spread out on a flower bed
the blooms will survive

Robert Bilinski

they don’t believe
less is more
these rhododendrons—
too often

I'm stingy with praise

Angela Leuck

**

fixating on moss
eyes starting to glaze
free entertainment!

Robert Bilinski

bright splashes of colour
of the rhododendrons--
damp grassy paths
leading in and out
of paradise

Angela Leuck

**

in a dark clearing
luminaries under firs
under the skylight

Robert Bilinski

young couples
walking slowly
among the rhododendrons
some flowers are best
enjoyed together

Angela Leuck

**



damn that darn mower
returning on his rounds
R.I.P.ing nature’s scat

Robert Bilinski

oak leaves above me
then clouds—
a tiny snap
brings me back
to the dark forest floor

Angela Leuck

**

drooping circulars
a tree’s leaves invading
modern man’s alley

Robert Bilinski

a canopy
of oak leaves
above my bench—
long since I’ve looked
to a man for shelter

Angela Leuck

**

ferns like little pets
giving comfort, giving hand
to an empty bench

Robert Bilinski

among the rhododendrons
I’m taking up
this secluded bench
where lovers
might sit

Angela Leuck

**

white puff lines on blue
that was his favourite spot
only traces remain

Robert Bilinski

in the garden
at sundown
the orange rhododendrons
keeping me
from my dinner

Angela Leuck

**

**

Robert tells me that he enjoyed our garden writing experience and will meet me another time in the garden. Until then, if you're interested in finding out more about Robert's creative work, you can read his article on mathematics and dance online at:

Part 1 : http://www.marthiii.com/Marthi_mag/2007-07-jui/marthi_mag_conceptuel.htm
Part 2 : http://www.marthiii.com/Marthi_mag/2007-08-aout/marthi_mag_conceptuel.htm
Part 3 : http://www.marthiii.com/Marthi_mag/2007-09-sept/marthi_mag_conceptuel.htm