Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden

Award-winning poet Dungy (English, Colorado State Univ.; Trophic Cascade) delivers a contemplative account of the transformation of her suburban lawn into a drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly garden, while reflecting on issues of race, history, and motherhood. In 2013, the author, her husband, and her daughter moved from Oakland, CA, to Fort Collins, CO, a predominantly white city. Though Dungy hoped to create a sustainable, supportive environment for plants, animals, and insects, she discovered that her neighborhood had strict rules restricting variety and difference. Undeterred, she intentionally created a wild, heterogeneous haven. As she did so, she began to draw connections from her life to history and her role as a Black woman, mother, and poet. She writes, “I can’t dig in my garden without digging up all this old dirt.” Dungy brings her knowledge of nature writers to bear, devoting a segment to Harlem Renaissance writer Anne Spencer, whose poetry reflected her love of plants, nature, and gardens. The author’s own poetry—lyrical and perfectly paced—is sprinkled throughout the book. Dungy’s narration of the audio is conversational and warm; she holds listeners spellbound with her beautiful words.