Alternative Currency

Cherry

By Di_Hard

Sat, 24 Jul 2021
  • 2088 reads
15 comments
 

         

Gold heavy galleons, round

hulls banded velvet black, 

yellow, orange, white, sail-

wings catching rainbows 

make their own wind between

ports - wide shallow pools

of pale pink silk cranesbill,

then carefully steer up narrows

in woundwort's purple passages 

or cool, speckled foxglove caves.

 

Where sun always shines, soft

phacelia's lavender moorings

do a busy trade, and warm air

thrums with the sound of many

curiosities satisfied with sweetness

 

richer for knowing surplus never lasts -

for as economies shrink, so do days

till Summer comes again and it's possible

to sit watching bumblebees, content

 

 

 

 

 

here is a scary article about neonicotinoides : 

https://hartley-botanic.co.uk/magazine/pesticide-roulette/

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

A lovely picture of sitting in the warm days watching the busy bees in the flowers. Those individual flowers as they move into them are so attractive aren't they? I don't know phacelia, though I think it may be one we had difficulty identifying from what grew from a packet of 'seeds to attract the birds'. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou Rhiannon for reading and commenting :0) It's the first time I've grown phacelia but as it was so easy and the bumblebees like it so much, will try it again next year. It is related to borage, even though the leaves and flowers are completely different!

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I love the idea of cool, speckled foxglove caves, which when I think about it, must seem like caves to insects. You bring a multitude of colour and activity to this poem.

Just read your comment to Rhiannon, noticing you said Phacelia was related to the Borage flower, such a beauty that attracts bees and butterflies and probably many more insects. When I had my allotment, we grew loads of Borage, they're brilliant in amongst vegetables, especially tomatoe plants.

Lovely poem Di.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou Jenny :0) Your allotment sounds perfect! It reminds me of my Dad's vegetable garden - could sit for an hour watching insects, in their cities made of leaves. All the colours and business going on whatever worries I had, it was wonderful. He used to have borage growing next to marigolds and the yellows and oranges with the purple/blue of borage was amazing! He put so much work into that piece of land, it sounds like you did for your allotment also

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

  The beauty of a slow day, letting nature entertain us is timeless and lovely. Your words are eloquent and evocative and I was taken to a youthful summer day when gardens grew everywhere and my endless summer days were filled with their colors. Thank you for that memory walk it was most welcoming. I am glad you've planted the Phacelia, attractive to bumblebees as we need to keep these bumblebees for the health of our eco-system. The Phacelia also helps the soil's nitrogen and keeps weeds at bay so all in all a most helpful addition to your garden. Thank you Di_hard for this lovely, pulse slowing, thought warming poem, I know I will be reading it again, and again.smiley

Penny4athought

Submitted by Di_Hard on

 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou so much for your lovely comment Penny, am with you on the bumblebee front :0) I think I might give lots of people phacelia seeds for Christmas!

I hope your popping in means there is another episode of Willow's Tale :0)

 

Submitted by onemorething on

The bees are lovely, passages, wing rainbows, foxglove caves. A wonderful picture. (Typo-surplus?)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou, and for the cherries :0) Spelling mistake corrected!

 

Submitted by bhi on

Such a rich and evocative poem - I was there, eyes closed and the poem washing over me.

There is nothing as satisfying as watching bees gathering for their hives - we have lavender back and front and the hum of the wings adds to the beauty of the moment. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou B :0) I agree, though have only lately come to value this since making a new flowerbed specially for them - often I stand goofing at them when out on the way shopping or coming back and suddenly remember everything will be defrosting!

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I can't think how I missed this lovely poem Di - not only a beautiful piece of writing, but also inspirational - I've just ordered some phacelia seeds. I have borage growing in my garden but have never tried phacelia - it sounds wonderful!

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOh that makes me so happy! And it will make all your bees happy too :0) Thankyou so much

 

Submitted by marandina on

"Gold heavy galleons.." A great opening and this poem just gathers momentum like rolling downhill. And what a way to finish watching bumblebees. Heaven :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou so much Paul :0) Seem to have got a bit stuck in this rhythm, doesn't matter how long the lines are everything always sort of tumbles