Primroses

By Rhiannonw

Fri, 15 Apr 2011
  • 2060 reads
6 comments
 

Clusters of smudges pale yellowy-cream,
dappled on banks and in woods, in between
the trees, on the ground, soft and delicate smiles,
rosettes of fresh leaves, climate gentler awhiles.
And if you get closer and notice the shapes
of the petals, with patches of deep-yellow shades,
see also the interesting centuries’ game –
for primroses aren’t all exactly the same, –
at the centre of some there’s a pin-head-like spot,
in others, a cluster of much smaller dots.
The first is called ‘pin-eyed’, – the stigma is tall.
The second is ‘thrum-eyed’, – instead it has all
the anthers with pollen above a short style:
a clever device so the pollen will pile
on an insect who’ll brush by and leave it instead
on the tall pin-eyed stigma – or so it is said!

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Nature

Comments

Submitted by jeand on

HI Rhiannon

I found another poem that nobody else has reviewed. That is kind of nice - being the first for such a lovely poem.

And I learned something from it too. I wasn't familiar with primroses until I moved to England, and when I moved to this house, I brought some plants with me, and was also given some by a friend. I was amazed at how a second flower grows on top of the first, probably due to the process that you descirbed in your poem. I'd never noticed that before.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jean. It is odd how a verse seems to have had a lot of reads without a comment. Maybe if it slips past the first newness, then the urge for commenting passes!
I do like the gentle yellow of the primrose 'smudges' on the banks when the weather gets milder. And was intrigued by the difference between 'pin-eyed' and 'thrum-'eyed', but I'm not sure about what you describe, will have to look into it, it may be just that some varieties have branching stems. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

another delicate poem you've written. We have so many primroses growing in our garden. I never realised that insects could carry the pollen, now I know why they are coming up all over my lawn.

This was a very useful poem to read and I'm so glad I found it.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

And thank you again, Jenny. The shade of those early primroses is so gentle, isn't it. Glad you enjoyed this. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Hi Rhiannon,

This is another delightful poem. I was most interested in the distinctions you made between the primroses. I had never heard this before. You learn something new every day.

Hilary   smiley

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Hilary. I'm glad you enjoyed it. We like looking for the two types but I get a bit tangled trying to imagine the long butterfly tongue transferring the pollen that brushes on to it as it drinks up the nectar, and the two varieties helping! I visited this poem yesterday to put the picture on as I'd been sorting out some of my seasonal nature poems and realised the older ones on here didn't have photographs and it would be nice to put some on as I had some. Primroses are lovely especiallty when you see a whole bank covered. Rhiannon

Actually, I may see if my husband has a phtot of the two types to put on instead!