Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by Rose HERE. Thank you, Rose for hosting.
This week I received a few art treasures in the mail from Jone MacCulloch. It is part of a summer swap organized by Tabatha Yeatts. Thank you Tabatha!
Jone Macculloch is a multitalented artist and poet. I received the notecard, seen at the top of the above photo, with the following haiku inside:
flutter flags
raven merriment
summer days
© Jone MacCulloch
On her watercolor painting of coneflowers were two more haiku:
coneflowers
pollinators buzz,
dart carefree
© Jone MacCulloch
summer phlox
dances in the garden with
pink echinacea
© Jone MacCulloch
More of Jone’s coneflowers and poetry
coneflowers
pollinators buzz,
dart carefree
summer phlox
dances in the garden with
pink echinacea
© jone rush macculloch 2024
Jone’s gift delighted me. It just so happens that here in upstate New York, today two of my last cornflowers were screaming for attention in my small garden.
So here’s a poem for Jone:
LATE AUGUST BLOOMS
(In response to Jone Macculloch's coneflowers)
The last coneflowers,
like snare drums
at the end of a parade,
remind me that it's not
the end of summer,
no, not so fast,
not until
their rat-tat-tat
has passed.
© Janice Scully 2024
Thank you Rose for hosting! Have a great weekend.
What joy! Jone’s poetry gifts look so pretty and springy. And your reply is perfect.
Your simile of coneflowers as the last snare drums in a parade is perfect, Janice. I recently found a few small coneflowers in my garden hiding among the taller daisies. Maybe if I listen carefully, I’ll hear the rat-tat-tat.
Janice, you and Jone are wonderful poetry swap partners. I am waiting for the gardener to plant some more coneflowers in my garden. Their beautiful flowers bring joy to late summer.
“pollinators… dart carefree”-Jone’s line
“like snare drums” – your line
I wonder if we pared the two lines together what thoughts would open.
Jone has given you a summer flower celebration, Janice! And your response, that ending, is perfect! “Rat-tat-tat” for all of us!
The spark provided by Jone’s words has been elevated to a most prominent level in your poem, Janice. I love the analogy you attached to the summer blooms. In your capable hands it has worked so well.
How fun that Jone’s gift inspired your response poem! Although I am sad to see my coneflowers fade, I love the next stage, when the goldfinches ride the heads down pulling out the seeds!
Janice, what a sweet post. Jone’s artwork and haiku are lovely. I like your response to her too, and the coneflower snare drums still rat-a-tat-tatting in late summer. Beautiful!