Best Blackberry Poems
Down where the blackberries now bloom
Blackberry winter is near
Jack Frost comes tonight maybe doom
With you here there's no fear
'Oar's frost might kill the early plants
But in dreams they returned
Strong and better for fall's harvest
Orange pumpkins weren't doomed
Blackberry winter has entered
My life left me barren
Devoid of warmth feeling much strifed
Need again warmth of grandchildren
Holding little one close_ touch softness
Strange how one misses small
Things like tenderness, acceptableness
A kiss that comforts squall
Blackberry winter here to stay
Or miracle will come
For a miracle steadily pray
Baby on knee awesome
The wild blackberry villain
Fell in love with my sweet rose.
I found them in the garden
All entangled in love's throes.
I took a hoe and hit him hard
With all the strength I had.
How could my hybrid beauty be
Seduced by such a cad?
I only meant to whack him down,
The sun got in my eyes.
My darling little blossom met
An early sad demise.
Now my rose lies motionless,
Betrayed by her wanton way,
Deserted by her false lover
Who led her far astray.
I know that coward's hiding
Beneath the sheltering ground,
Hiding, plotting, planning, scheming
Another to take down.
Dear one turn away that fraud,
Don't believe his selfish boast.
He will take you to his level and
Then thrive on your compost.
It is true that we are known
By the company we keep.
Consorting with a villain
Brings a price that's mighty steep.
For "Old Contest Entry" contest.
I entered this in Syed Amaan Ahmad free contest.
Any form any theme. I got only an h
but I thought it one of my best poems. So I'll try again.
Blackberry Memoir
Blackberries, round and glossy,
Always invite me to return
To dusty country summer afternoons
When languid waves of mirages
Puddle into shimmering hiatus.
From the gently swaying hammock
I hear the rattle of berry pails
To see my grandmother, in her straw hat,
Smile an invitation - come with her
Into the wild blackberry patch.
Like garter snakes that hide in the thorny brambles
Tangled canes slither across the sandy path
No perfect rows only prickly trailing briars
That soar from the heart of the thicket
In arching limbs to touch on summer skies.
Like raven tresses the blackberry fruit glistens -
Capturing sweetness from the glowing sun -
Purple stained fingers release the ripeness
Then hear it plunk in the berry bucket -
Delicious as raindrops in a summer storm.
Warm evening settles in contented sighs
Watching moonlight creep through tangled vines
When juicy blackberry pie warm from the oven
Arrives on clear plates with salivating praise
Topped with ice cream dripping down the sides.
When autumn strips the jumbled canes
To lie barren beneath the winter sun
My grandmother’s blackberry jam journeys
In reveries of summer days to come
When simple berry picking untangles life.
8-2-22
Contest: Your Thoughts on Blackberries
Sponsor: Matt Caliri
Quietly, feathered soles steal across fields
soft as Choctaw spirits' slipping shadows;
frescoed frost glazes summer remnants of pumpkin and persimmon.
The blackberry moon bends low,
pursed lips lingering and slow above Earth's alabaster face.
Past and present blend in one short span
when winter woos the autumn moon.
February 23, 2022
Sticks in containers,
Patiently wait on my lawn
For me to plant them.
Blackberries start as white dots in a sea of thorns
The flower will fade, and a green berry will join
Protected, it will grow and be pink
Safe from even a massacring mink
Larger, it will swell until it is red
No enemy can lay down their head
Darker and darker until it is black
The berries are ready for an attack
Sour, but delectable
The thorns are detectable
But what about the thornless blackberry bush?
Poor girl, she starts off white
Like the others that night
She grows into a misshapen berry
Unlike the others (who are), lucky? Very.
She stays as the others grow
Poor berry, behind she tows
The rest are protected by thorns of steel
But this poor one just needs a deal
From green to pink to red to black
The other blackberry is held far back
If only she could get some thorns
To protect her from the world's horns
The neglected female, without protection
Her parents have given her no love and affection
The other ones shall grow strong
Their parents are never gone
-September of 2020
Reluctant tranquility fills the air
Dismissing expectations with her smile
With frozen wishes melting everywhere
She paints the earth in her artistic style
Dreams, dripping slowly from shivering trees
Transparent presents, covering the ground
Leftover kisses now lost to the breeze
Green taking over where white was once found
But tranquility's brush runs out of paint
As her masterpiece starts fading away
Blackberry winter will cause her to faint
While leaving her empty, filled with dismay
Tranquility's brush was made to admire
She'll paint again when blooms kiss the brier
Note:In South & Midland North America,
Blackberry Winter
is referred to as a period of cold weather as low as -6 °C (20 °F)
in late spring when the blackberries are in bloom.
This is generally in the month of May and is known to
last approximately up to 14 days.
Well, if this contest is like your past
You'd better run to the liquor store fast
You may be standing in line
To get your blackberry wine
And find out they've just sold the last
06/20/11 For Francine's Wine contest
the skin on the floor
does not lumber down the hill
blackberries ripen
July 5, 2018
I see grandmother's bonnet moving above the bramble.
My mother tells me not to keep eating berries.
My little pail fills so slowly.
mouth drips purple juice
clothes torn, skin bleeding, itching
spill berries again
I woke when dawn peeked through my window.
Started pacing the floor back and forth, to and fro,
waiting for daylight to get to the blackberry patch,
intending to pick the ripe ones as my first batch.
Yesterday, I saw bunnies nibbling on the berries.
It was sunset, and their feeding time never varies,
so, I'd get to pick some very early this morning
and let them know I was around, as a warning.
I tried to be patient, waiting for the dew to dry.
That's what the almanac said, so it wasn't a lie.
Picking them wet makes them mold and squish.
That sure doesn't make them sound very delish!
I got dressed and watched as the sun rose higher
before taking my bucket to the blackberry briar.
I was eager to start before the sun got too hot,
and kept a look out for rabbits, but none did I spot.
First berry I had to taste to see if it was sweet,
knowing the darkest ones would be best to eat.
I got half a pail full before mom called, "Breakfast,"
but after school I'd be back to gather all the rest.
I could almost taste how delicious they would be,
baked in a juicy cobbler or a blackberry pie for me.
Then, I'd leave the rest for the rabbits to munch
so, for a few days they'd all have enough for lunch.
July 29, 2022
Your Thoughts on Blackberries Contest
Sponsor: Matt Caliri
It's early yet for picking,
Only one black kiss
At the end of pinky clusters,
First fruit,
Faceted like flies' eyes.
The biggest are up too high,
In too far, where snakes live.
Somebody could lose their balance,
Fall inside.
Somebody could get trapped in brambles.
She used to go blackberrying.
At five o'clock on summer mornings,
She'd put on Dad's old overalls with the
Legs rolled up.
The rattle of buckets and baskets.
We scorned her jams. "Can't we
Have jam from the store instead?"
Matching our distain to guilt at the
Sun-red face
Returning, the long scratches on her arms.
She's gone now but the scene replays,
Greenberry, whiteberry, redberry, black!
Like part of a promise held out; the rest is
Mine to keep.
I see berry, berry, berry until I sleep.
Skipping
with rust streaked pails
through knee-high foxtails
bending to brush away
white powdery puffs of dandelions
gazing
wistfully back
sighing with content
unaware, unassuming
falling
through blue cotton clouds
faint calls in the distance
guiding, reassuring
in earnest search of wild bounty
Delectable treasures
waiting for angels
to gently release
brilliantly dark
perfectly tart
compelling aromas
winding
drifting
pulling
towards firm green tendrils
painting
paths to fragrant blooms
nestled comfortably
in peaceful anticipation
Sparkling emeralds and sapphires
with soft golden spirals
encircling
bright cherub smiles
with eager sun-kissed hands
brushing the wind
stretching
straining
reaching
marveling
at simplicity
with silver-lined buckets
whistling in harmony
plucking rich harvest dreams
The Girl with the Blackberry Eyes
So there you stand, with your yawn colored slickers,
wishing your life to be more
Fruit flavored fantasies sprinkled with stickers
so much is waiting in store
Someone is longing your destined arrival,
desires held loose in her hand
All that you need to effect your survival,
I promise, she will understand
While sunny the days of a cloudless expanse
in fields lowly rutted with fear
Down footprints of mud in a circular dance,
a garden now beckons you here
A wood picket fence and a hedge overgrown
beyond an old gate bearing rust
That cringes and creaks near the wicked seeds sown
about southern winds once were thrust
Where vines cling an arbor in strangling grip,
creeping like worms neath your feet
Proud of their thorns and the flesh they do rip,
souring fruits ever sweet
Beware of this realm where the petals now bleed
with faces apart from the norm
On barbed wire stems of a nevermore need,
now cast of an unending storm
For here waits a child with a part in her hair
and roots tethered deep to the ground
A bouquet of pain offered up, if you dare,
in silence she speaks without sound
So follow this path of a nightmarish dream,
where nothing that lives ever dies
But hold tight your tongue for she hates when you scream,
the girl with the blackberry eyes
Oh, tempter, displaying your unripe ruby fruit,
Easy pickings for the lazy, raffish masses
While staying your ripe royal lushness out of reach
Behind thorn barriers to tear the hides of men
Greedy to press their lips against your swollen skin,
Then gentle bite, receive your bitter-sweet reward.