Hollyhocks

This is another bit of ancient history, of course ... the memories of those excursions to the bluffs to gather that rich soil ... those furry-jacketed seed, saved year-to-year by Grandma ... the resulting flowers.

They are such sweet memories. I still find great comfort in them ... and in the poem itself. No surprise that I share it at almost all of my poetry readings ... including a program, "Poets Respond to Art," last month at the Dayton Art Institute ... and, most recently, when I was invited to join "Emily's Boys" for a reading at Christ Episcopal Church.

Yes, I do readings. You may have gathered that I really believe it when I say: Poetry is meant to be shared.

But relax. I haven't quite resorted to going door-to-door to inflict my poetry on the unsuspecting ... yet.

I do appreciate those, though, who stop by here to take a look ... to pause to listen ... to let the words wash over them ... to let me share ... and I hope they ... and you ... leave with a feeling of having dined on poetry ... or at least have an appetite newly whetted for more ... here, there ... everywhere.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Oh, and the illustration today is a small watercolor I did some time ago. It also went on to bigger things ... becoming the cover art for that second collection of poems.

Now, the poem:

HOLLYHOCKS

We went to the bluffs,

up the narrow path

along the spine of the ridge,

up where the tall oaks

clustered among the rocks,

where the soil was dark

and crumbly, cool to our

digging fingers, and piled

that loose, rich soil

into a coal bucket,

lugged it back in many

trips to a dedicated circle

of depleted yellow clay

behind the house,

heaping this found food

there for furry-jacketed

seed from a deep pocket

of Grandma's apron,

and they became the most

sun-catching, bee-luring,

beautiful flowers

I had ever seen, almost

as though God had just

said: Let there be

hollyhocks.

And there were.

© 1999

("Hollyhocks" received an honorable mention in the Dayton, Ohio, Metro Library Contest in 1999, and went on to become the title poem of my second collection of poetry, published by Finishing Line Press in 2007)

***

Today's word: bee-luring

Afterthoughts ... in response to your comments:

Oh, thank you, Helen for those kind words about "Hollyhocks" ... now I'll have to see if I can come up with something to top it. I believe I saw clothespin/hollyhock dolls ... made by others ... and I thought they were ingenious, but I never tried them myself ... too busy climbing bluffs and falling out of trees, I guess. I'm glad the poem brings back memories for you.

Thank you, Featheredpines ... I'm glad you liked the watercolor ... and the poem. Continued best wishes.