Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This Poetry Month, I’m sharing a brief poem daily celebrating little sources of wonder and joy in my life. Here’s today’s #wonderbreak [Want to learn more or join in?]:
I always think it’s funny how avid gardeners or people with perfect lawns–people who despise dandelions–break into huge smiles when a child offers up a dandelion bouquet. As with so many things, our feelings about something depend not on the intrinsic qualities of that thing but on its context–on what we associate with it.
I’m not an enormous fan of them myself, having waged war against the beautiful, fluffy seedheads to try to keep the lawn from being taken over. But I have to admire dandelions. They are scrappy survivors, popping up in unlikely places and adding their little bit of sunshine to a concrete world.
For lots of wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with the creative JoAnn Early Macken at Teaching Authors.
22 Responses
I wrote about these lovely spring ‘things” yesterday, Laura. You’re right about the POV. A friend tells me that we should leave them early until other flowers bloom because they’re the only food around for bees. They are certainly persistent!
I am probably the odd ball here, but I think a lawn covered in dandelions looks pretty. My husband , and my allergies don’t agree. I have enjoyed following your wonder poems this month, Laura!
I asked a neighbor how she keeps them from taking over given we have another neighbor who is King of Dandelions, and she said, I eat them every spring. LOL She was a bit sunny, now that I think about it.
I’m a fan of dandelions, too–they’re so cheery! And yes, it’s true that being offered one by a child makes it priceless! I’m enjoying your #wonderbreak poems.
Having never actually had a lawn before, I’ve never had to wage war against these cheery invaders, but I do have to admire dandelions for their sheer tenacity. They’re also wonderful food for bees!
Laura, you are so right. Dandelions are “scrappy survivors” that do brighten up a day. I was just talking about them with my gardener today, reminding myself how much I loved dandelions when I was a child. I enjoyed your wonderbreak.
I love this flower and ADORE what you did here. So much with so little. xxxx
Wonderful poem! I still cherish memories of my children passing me wilting bouquets of these cheery flowers. It’s all in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it? Thanks for sharing!
I had a dandelion connection moment –
http://mainelywrite.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-lawn-less-mowed.html
As a child I mostly remember the horrid taste on my fingers after picking a bouquet of them!
Your tiny moment was delectable though.
I’ve always liked dandelions, especially when there offered with love from “small hands.”
What a perfect poem. I love what you did there. My son’s chubby little fist proffering a clenched-too-tight bunch of little purple wilting weed-flowers will always be a favourite memorygraph. Every time I see them in our yard, it warms my heart..
Yea! Another dandelion poem. I’m a fan myself (though I do prefer the yellow flowers to the scraggly seed heads–unless I’m blowing them for wishes). I certainly admire the tenacity of dandelions and find their willingness to grow in the most unlikely of places a source of hope.
You’re so right about context. It’s all how we’re conditioned to view certain things — not to mention people. I have to remind myself that dandelions are useful. They are edible, after all!
Scrappy survivors indeed. What you said is so true. Perspective is a tricky thing. Love the poem, Laura!
Dandelions…it’s a love-dislike thing for me! I don’t want them in my yard but I love seeing them in a field and I love blowing the seeds and watching them umbrella away! Also, my sisters and I used to split the stems and curl them up to the base of the flower.
You’re poem is so sweet and brought back many memories!
They definitely add sunshine, and so does your poem! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
This touched my heart, Laura, because all week long my Kindergarteners have been showering me with dandelions during recess time. They present them as if they are the greatest gift…and they are!
Yes! That is just the sweetest thing. Kids see dandelions–they see beauty, and they want to share it with someone they love. Lucky they have someone who appreciates them (both the flowers and their little selves!).
Now if I could just get them to keep the stem on so I could do something with them! At the end of the day I had pockets full of just dandelion heads — LOL! 🙂
That just totally brought back so many memories of wilty dandelion yellow pocket sculptures. Ha!
I, too, am ambivalent toward dandelions. Squirrels, too, for that matter. But yes, I have proudly displayed dandelion bouquets on my dining table many times.
I love dandelions but I’m forever removing them from my lawn. 🙂