The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Borowicz, Karina. “September Tomatoes.” ECOTONE (2013).

Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.

"September Tomatoes" is a free verse poem composed of two tercets and two quatrains. Growing up, Borowicz always gravitated toward poetry because of its grounded yet ethereal quality, which can be seen throughout her oeuvre. She attained a Bachelor of Arts in history and in Russian from the University of Massachusetts and an MFA from the University of New Hampshire before spending years abroad in Russia and Lithuania. Borowicz has shared in interviews about her fascination with the human perception of time and how it changes with age.

The speaker in "September Tomatoes" grapples with the changing seasons as she uproots the tomato plants that she worked all summer to cultivate. As she tosses the dying plants into the compost, she reflects on how her ancestors sang as they performed similar seasonal tasks. This demonstrates the timeless relationship between humans, cultivation, and the changing seasons.