Lyrics

A Man in his Garden - Erik Haakenstad

On a narrow path between stone fences,
Through the carefully kept plots of land
In the morning before the sun can hit hard
I came walking and I met him there

He was watering the rows he’d raised up straight
Pulling greedy weeds from the black soil
His garden wasn’t that large,
but it was very well tended
Enough to make the good things grow
He could make the good things grow

And I met a man working in his garden,
He smiled a big-hearted smile
His hands wide open to show me what he had grown,
And he said that it was all just fine

Though I’m a stranger here, he stopped what he was doing,
And asked how everything was
He said that for himself he was pulling along,
And he showed me the work he’d done

Here were all the fruits the rich earth would yield,
Ripe for the salt, the vinegar and the oil
Whether sweet or sharp, or like the bitter escarole,
To start you off and make your hunger grow
Like he knew when you feed the body, you’re feeding the soul

As the sun rose high, he invited me in
And we ate from his store for he made what he gave
This’ll feed you up, he said, and do you no wrong,
And he winked said have a care, ‘cause the wine is strong

Then we stood up and he looked me in the eye,
all was right, and he laid his arm on my shoulder
He said, you pull along as best you can,
And when it catches up, you take a break, my friend

And he went inside to wait out the heat,
And I made my way back into town,
Maybe he worked a little longer or maybe he quit,
But I’m sure he rested well ‘cause he knows
He knows he makes the good things grow

Lyrics Erik Haakenstad © 2025