The Best Of... discussion

From Ripon's Wilma Street overpass,
A wide black ribbon narrows away, curving
Through rose-tinted morning haze, and
Disappears in a milky sea of almond flowers.

Stationery regiments of
Gnarly trunks and scaffold limbs
Are canopied by blushing clouds
Of pale perfume-emitting blooms.

And in the cool and muted stillness
Rays of sunlight filter through,
Throwing bright quivering splotches
Onto the carpet of winter grass.

Snowy petals, liberated by the wind,
Descend to speckle the ground,
And collect unevenly in groupings,
That calico the orchard floor.

Humming residents of stacked white hives
Sanctify the grand botanic rite
Dragging yellow pollen-heavy legs,
From blossom to orgiastic blossom,

Until at dusk in blind fatigue
They crash against their walls
And stagger in on wobbly legs
Like revelers from a spree.

Soon the dancing winds of March arrive.
Translucent petals churn and boil in a
Terminal crescendo, as infant leaves push up,
Costuming naked chorus limbs with green.

And deep within the hardy waking trees
Embryonic cells assume position,
For the coming botanic auditions
To win a role in next year's Bloom.

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I LOVE THIS !!!!!!! It's beautiful- I can see it in my minds eye- winter starkness and the coming of spring.

Nothing needs to be said, Monty. Your poem stands for itself.

Monty, upon reading this, my husband got out his little worn Robert Frost pocket anthology, is that a compliment or what?

That's a serious compliment, Karen.

It made me recall one I took it upon myself to memorize so long ago, I think I must have been about four, as we hadn't moved to California yet. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/...

Renee wrote: "That's a serious compliment, Karen.

It made me recall one I took it upon myself to memorize so long ago, I think I must have been about four, as we hadn't moved to California yet. http://www.poetr..."

I like that, and memorized by a child and recited by one would be so adorable!

Might not be quite, lol.

When we moved to California, we drove across country.

I used the time to memorize "The Song of Hiawatha."

Imagine being trapped in a small car (Ford Fairlane) with that . . . and a Terrier and two red sliders.

You know, Monty . . . your writing has referenced us to Frost and Wordsworth.

Not too shabby . . . :-)

Renee wrote: "You know, Monty . . . your writing has referenced us to Frost and Wordsworth.

Not too shabby . . . :-)"

(Blushes) Thanks everyone.

I was expecting a portrait of the bowler hatted one from Ulysses, and was trying to square the first few lines with what I remember of Dublin... till I found myself in this beautifully crafted piece with no side to it at all. Unless the "revellers from a spree" might count as those for whom last orders have been called? But I intrude. Great images, effortless verses. Monty, your stock increaseth.

I've really got to give the other poetry here a serious read. I'm in the midst of screening for the Guild's annual contest, working my way through the poetry entries.

My attention span is kind of shot at this point.