Oh, the red bits of swollen tongue
upon the gray of maple have plumped
like the cheeks of small children red with run!
The bangs of pussy willow frond
will soon tickle the noses of man swept dust,
baring the fragrance of balsam-pine leavings
scattered with the golden tinsel
of Christmas garland.
The ripening earth cracks smiles
toothy with tulip spears and narcissus cones.
The wind is sweet with kisses
and the jays laugh raucously
in the grasping branches of maple.
The dust of days past dances joyously onward
dreaming of cozy eddies amongst the violets.
Oh, Spring of the golden tongue
play poet to my pen.
She used second-hand water
Water that had first been used to scrub vegetables
or rinse the dishes
And poured it over her red geraniums with loving hands
Waste not, want not...was her motto
In offering such hand-me-downs to her flowers
They cared not
For her own apron was a hand-me-down
Made from a worn-out shirt,...
and simply told
that she had learned to cherish what life gives:
even the smallest things, had value....
Her flowers seemed to know her gentle way, her tender touch...
You half expected that when she turned away
the flowers would leave their place to follow her,
the way the kittens followed from the barn
when she came up from milking the cows
There may be other languages of love
But these stubborn red geraniums would not die....they simply bloomed brighter
The Red Barn
The red barn stands, silhouetted against the sky.
The oak tree wraps its tired limbs about her
As if to protect her from time and age.
Her roof is sagging, color faded ,
An errant plume of color along her frame.
Yet, proud she stands, remembrance of a happy time.
Shelter from the rain, chidren
Playing in her hair, lovers hiding in her shadows.
Beauty I see now, not bright, not boastful.
With dignity and respect she bows to age.
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.