A Small Needful Fact Summary

The poem begins by stating the titular "small needful fact": that Eric Garner worked for some time for the Parks and Recreation Horticultural Department. The speaker speculates that Garner's very large hands gently put some plants into the earth. Using qualifiers such as "perhaps" and "most likely," the speaker surmises that these plants continue to grow and do what plants do: house and feed small and necessary creatures, be pleasant to touch and smell, and convert sunlight into food. The final description in the list is that the plants Garner likely put into the earth make it easier for everyone to breathe.