The coral honeysuckle
cut down late this year
sprouts new tendrils
showing fierce resistance
to death.
Bare brown twigs
will grow to green. Soon
rust red flowers,
just a touch of saffron on edges,
bloom to beckon the hummingbirds
who will come darting in
at dizzying speeds
to drink the sweet nectar,
giving delight just to watch them
about their important mission
in ecology.

One of the lovelier events
nature does offer.

© 2010 Shari Lynne Smothers

This poem is for the napowrimo prompt #22, a wordle Visit the post to see the details of this prompt. The words I used are: saffron, rust, tendril, fierce, dizzy.

When days are dreary
far flung from what I’d planned;
when the rain clouds hover then pour
seemingly
over only my head,
even then can I
find my way into a smile.

The rains come more frequently
now, nearing summer’s end
summoning this last
eruption of blossoms.
And the bees’ activities increase
to almost a frenzied pace,
in anticipation
of the birds who’ll come to feast.

Today the rain came again.
Heavy showers
washed over the flowers
of our coral honeysuckle plant,
giving them and the working bees
much needed quenching.
Rinsing everything
preparing too
for the coming guests
and gone once everything was wet.

The advance guard came
numbering two
seven days ahead of the flock.
Today I see
they’re present in great numbers
tasting flowers
flitting amongst the bees.

Delightful hummingbird, puff of energy,
wisp of a creature,
come again this year
to feed on honeysuckle nectar,
then dart up between drinks
to rest
on the neighboring tall, pine tree.

Theirs is a mission
far greater than
their collective size
and borne fully
in the tiny mass of each one:
They come to inspire and
remind us what God does
—any of us
willing and able to see.

My smile today is for noticing
this sacred simple dance in nature
and recognizing that I see
because my clouds slowed me down
impeding my progress in one area
directing my attentions
toward these other important things.

©2009 by Shari Lynne Smothers