Mary Newell

Pollen Ate
 
 
Plants scurry during their crest-times to offload golden life-beads:  
Ornament their entries – like foxglove’s lambent dappled tongues.      
Lure insect eyes attuned to whites or favored crimson wavelengths,
Layer zephyrs with succulent scents to envelop buzzing harvesters.              
Insects nectar-woozy fly fitfully to another allure, expectantly alight.  
Never devalue the crave from the flowers’ broadcast incitements - 
Astounding synchrony, bar climate disrupt  - though some seekers,
Tricked of nectar - saved for one match-mate - leave with gilt only.
Each flower fashions a plan to proliferate, by winged-ones or wind.


Hummingbird Target    
  
Scintillating salvia, savor of your tangy verve
          alerts passerbys to your pollen-sharing two-step
Allure of your jewel-tones entices ruby-throated hummer
          who hovers now, close to embrace
Look – will she chose your beckoning parted lips
that laugh at drab grass -  
Violet-toned - or your mauve or cerise cousin,
or flirt with all three while flashing by? 
Irresistibly, you flaunt nectared cups, intone a
 clarion signal through intensity of hue          
Adjustable to zephyrs, throat open to touch-tag –
so breezy
 

Zepherine Drouhan, by any other name a               
 
Revolving florescence of luscious turned-velvet opulence          
Overture to euphoria, its folds proffer depth of rhapsody
Satiety of scent-uous splendor, seek the center for grace
Effulgent, the choice to proclaim a love-tale or liar’s strum

​
Hummer’s Plea
 
I can’t slow dowN, miles to arrive; my
hEart thrives on nimble high-dives.
Scarlet Captivates my sight and I recall
dulcet Tastes from deep plunges, year   
after yeAr; dear gardener, please don’t
Reduce your succulents - I need them all!