Yellow Jessamine

Some crisp morning -
miles from the workings in town that move the world's freight -
as you canter along the ring of tall Georgia pine 
that guards a grassy glade you fancy as yours,

you'll stop as always beside a splash of musical creek
and loosen your white mare's tack before sitting -
your back firm against the trunk of a sheltering pine -
to watch tall, green grasses dance on the edges of the wind. 

One crisp morning,
he'll come step by step across the glade, stooping haphazardly
to gather daisies and fashion an unfashionable bouquet
mussed and tangled with the wild grasses of friendship and love.

Your heart will quicken as he stills the nickering of your anxious
mare and banishes the ghost of a freight train whistle
rising from its haunt near town. In your bower,
across the threshold of Spring, look for your Valentine.

That crisp morning,
let your eyes climb along the vine climbing the needled skirt
of the sheltering pine and clip the first yellow blossom,
star-shaped and spiced with feisty fragrance. 

Place it in your hair and resume your riding
or loosen the pocket of his tousled shirt and plant
the flower just above his heart as you gather up
the blowzy bouquet and take his hand in yours.

Dedicated to Andrea
Copyright © 2004-2009 by the authors

Comments

[jen]

dors, another gorgeous poem, just wanted to tell you how much i enjoy the way you choose words and arrange them, you paint a beautiful picture.

[Andrea]

Tony, thank you for this beautiful valentine, for listening and for being a great friend! I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me.

[Lizzy]

Dors, really nice! And I am truly happy that you are doing what you love most.

[Ebaba]

As with Night Bird and A Giant Leap Frog, I am intrigued by the contemplation you give your reader at the end of your newest poem… do I continue on yesterday’s course or do I take hold of my valentine and leap into the unknown? Even the most apprehensive of hearts could not help but leap in this case! You paint an irresistible picture. This one feels especially tangible. Well done!

[Deb Bokhorst]

Tony, I love the Yellow Jessamine poem. It seems so fresh and clean – like spring -- not sure if that makes any sense. I used google to read about the yellow jessamine, and then the picture in my mind, drawn by the poem, became even clearer. It paints a beautiful setting. I could relate to the woman in the poem. How do you even think these thoughts? (While I’m thinking of grocery lists, soccer practice, school supplies and play dates, you’re thinking of streams, forests, flowers and Valentines!) :) You truly have a talent.

[Karen]

Yellow jessamine - one of my favorites!! Sucker for yellow flowers, actually - daffodils to dandelions! A vine grew on our fence in Jacksonville, gently sprawling across the span over the 4 years we lived there, and I refused to tame it. The bees joyously guarded it and I had to sneak my way to cutting off the sweet, fragrant blossoms, my favorite choice for house-guests. :( I miss them terribly!

Thanks for the memory lane trip!

[jen]

just checking to see if any new poetry...

[shayna]

I'm sorry I haven't been here sooner... I tried before to comment and I never could get it to post my comment... probably something I did... :) Anyway... Beautiful poem! Absolutely, beautiful! :)