June mountains ablaze in yellow wild mustard running wild on every slope. A gift, as legend has it, from California’s missionaries marking trails from San Diego to San Francisco until their route blurred into a riot of mustard greedy plants absorbing every raindrop every touch of moisture denying others a chance to drink . . . to grow. August with its alchemic heat turns gold to brown kindle for October winds when wildfires paint our hills in a blaze of red and reseed the mustard in a bed of ashes.
I have lived in this place for half of my life now Not yet a long life, but decades Not days Long enough to take things for granted To see something without looking And know if it fits.
When there is something out of place I am jarred back to awareness Sharp and urgent Offended By the palm tree In a Sacramento suburb.
Non-Native Plants
ReplyDeleteJune mountains ablaze in yellow
wild mustard running wild on every slope.
A gift, as legend has it,
from California’s missionaries
marking trails from San Diego to San Francisco
until their route blurred into a riot of mustard
greedy plants absorbing every raindrop
every touch of moisture
denying others a chance to drink . . . to grow.
August with its alchemic heat
turns gold to brown
kindle for October winds
when wildfires paint our hills in a blaze of red
and reseed the mustard
in a bed of ashes.
Rick Stepp-Bolling
The Venus Fly Trap
ReplyDeleteA carnivore
she's a meat eater
the innocent fly
draws near the nectar
With a flick of the leg
on a spine in the base
The flower closes
in an instant
quicker than the fly?
how fast she moves
Good imagery!
DeleteI have lived in this place for half of my life now
ReplyDeleteNot yet a long life, but decades
Not days
Long enough to take things for granted
To see something without looking
And know if it fits.
When there is something out of place I am jarred back to awareness
Sharp and urgent
Offended
By the palm tree
In a Sacramento suburb.
here in my home
ReplyDeletethis lush forest of green
from lovely desert