Because hairs on their speckled daybeds baffle the little bees,
foxgloves come out to advertise for rich bumbling hummers,
who crawl into their tunnels-of-delight with drunken ease
(see Darwin’s chapters on his foxglove summers)
plunging over heckles caked with sex-appealing stuff
to sip from every hooker its intoxicating liquor
and stop it propagating in a corner with itself.
And this is how the foxflower keeps its sex life in order.
Two anthers—adolescent, in a hurry to dehisce—
let fly too soon, so pollen lies in drifts around the floor.
Along swims bumbler bee and makes an undercoat of this,
reverses, exits, lets it fall by accident next door.
So ripeness climbs the bells of Digitalis, flower by flower,
undistracted by a Mind, or a Design, or by desire.
What a delightful poem! The joy in nature and sprightly rhythm evokes Gerald Manley Hopkins, albeit in a distinctly 20th Century version, with sex and alcohol mixing and intoxicating brew. Great fun.
12 comments
Xata said:
Richard Nuttall said:
Jaap van 't Veen said:
HFF and a nice weekend
Annemarie said:
HFF also:)
Roger (Grisly) said:
HFF and a great weekend
tiabunna said:
Percy Schramm said:
John FitzGerald said:
Steve Bucknell said:
Because hairs on their speckled daybeds baffle the little bees,
foxgloves come out to advertise for rich bumbling hummers,
who crawl into their tunnels-of-delight with drunken ease
(see Darwin’s chapters on his foxglove summers)
plunging over heckles caked with sex-appealing stuff
to sip from every hooker its intoxicating liquor
and stop it propagating in a corner with itself.
And this is how the foxflower keeps its sex life in order.
Two anthers—adolescent, in a hurry to dehisce—
let fly too soon, so pollen lies in drifts around the floor.
Along swims bumbler bee and makes an undercoat of this,
reverses, exits, lets it fall by accident next door.
So ripeness climbs the bells of Digitalis, flower by flower,
undistracted by a Mind, or a Design, or by desire.
Anne Stevenson
Sarah P. replied to Steve Bucknell:
Steve Bucknell said:
Janet Brien said:
Gorgeous flowers and shadows to enjoy. A delight.
HFF! :)