July 2016
Martin Willitts Jr
mwillitts01@yahoo.com
mwillitts01@yahoo.com
I have seen all of these plants and identified them all. They are all part of plants discovered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. My great-great ancestor knew both men, and the Willet bird (a plover near California) is named after my ancestor. I am trying to write these beginning like field notes, then making my own insights. My most recent full-length collection, How to Be Silent is inspired by the ecstatic poets.
Broom Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae)
a type of sunflower snakes
a fleck of yellow in your iris
they almost disappear between two fingers
if you boil 25 grams of the petal
in a liter of water
drink its yellow one to three times a day
you will sweat out impurities
your stomach pains will dissipate into yellow rain
your lungs will clear the clouds of bronchitis
pneumonia will drizzle until forgotten
a grin will sweep clean
your rain-streaked face
a type of sunflower snakes
a fleck of yellow in your iris
they almost disappear between two fingers
if you boil 25 grams of the petal
in a liter of water
drink its yellow one to three times a day
you will sweat out impurities
your stomach pains will dissipate into yellow rain
your lungs will clear the clouds of bronchitis
pneumonia will drizzle until forgotten
a grin will sweep clean
your rain-streaked face
Western Springbeauty (Claytonia lanceolata)
from the foothills
and uncovered mountain slopes
to alpine meadows
just below snow banks
a small
delicate perennial
five pinkish-white petals
with dark veins
the flower has two green sepals
below the petals, and five
bright pink stamens
a pair of lance-shaped leaves
their boiled tubers have the taste & texture
of baked potatoes
Indians dug these in early spring
when snow melted like butter
from the foothills
and uncovered mountain slopes
to alpine meadows
just below snow banks
a small
delicate perennial
five pinkish-white petals
with dark veins
the flower has two green sepals
below the petals, and five
bright pink stamens
a pair of lance-shaped leaves
their boiled tubers have the taste & texture
of baked potatoes
Indians dug these in early spring
when snow melted like butter
"Mad Dog Plant" (Echinacea angustifolia)
also known as Plains Coneflower, Pani or Pawnee Corn and "highly prized by the natives as an efficacious remedy in the cure of the bite of the rattlesnake or mad dog . ."
planted eight times between the fruit trees
in Thomas Jefferson's South Orchard
a dwarf corn only 24-inches high,
bred for the harshness
of the short northern Plains growing season
they ripen quickly six weeks from planting
small, vivacious
like his wife in the garden
her hands turning dirt
Jefferson could feel the bite lessening
abating
a tickle of yellow
shaking rattle soft
as a kiss
also known as Plains Coneflower, Pani or Pawnee Corn and "highly prized by the natives as an efficacious remedy in the cure of the bite of the rattlesnake or mad dog . ."
planted eight times between the fruit trees
in Thomas Jefferson's South Orchard
a dwarf corn only 24-inches high,
bred for the harshness
of the short northern Plains growing season
they ripen quickly six weeks from planting
small, vivacious
like his wife in the garden
her hands turning dirt
Jefferson could feel the bite lessening
abating
a tickle of yellow
shaking rattle soft
as a kiss
Western Mountain Kittentails (Synthyris missurica)
a low, erect plant
with bilateral,
symmetrical, deep
blue-violet flowers
above wide, round,
coarsely toothed,
basal leaves
the corolla
seems to deepen
in the shade
where this plant
is often found
pouncing a butterfly
its tail swaying intently
eyes violet
teeth nipping
at wing-movement
a low, erect plant
with bilateral,
symmetrical, deep
blue-violet flowers
above wide, round,
coarsely toothed,
basal leaves
the corolla
seems to deepen
in the shade
where this plant
is often found
pouncing a butterfly
its tail swaying intently
eyes violet
teeth nipping
at wing-movement
Orange Honeysuckle (Lonicera ciliosa)
in the dry coniferous forests
orange petals are fingers grasping
reaching from oval saucer-like structure
children drink the nectar
from the bottom of the flower tube
like from a goblet
in the dry coniferous forests
orange petals are fingers grasping
reaching from oval saucer-like structure
children drink the nectar
from the bottom of the flower tube
like from a goblet
©2016 Martin Willitts Jr