April showers bring May flowers, or so they say. Actually there are a lot of flowers blooming already, even in Northeastern US, and despite the sometimes-still-snowy weather. But our irises aren’t in bloom yet, though we see a lot of new growth.
Just by luck–or maybe because these iris are inclined to do well anywhere–our iris have been growing like crazy. We have a variety of colors and types, and all of them have to be separated every few years, which means we are in danger of being overrun.
I separated the pink ones two years ago. Last summer I separated the blue and the white ones, giving away iris plants to anyone who would take them, and still putting more back into the ground than I intended to. We have some striped iris that need to be separated this year…growing like weeds. Or rather, like weeds would grow, if we weren’t persistent at “weeding” the weeds out.
Hybrid Vigor
Aren’t all dismayed to die? The pale
uprights, ruffled, and dark blue falls
of the contrived iris, recall a brighter
day when all seemed possible.
New names for new flowers, all
fanciful and majestic—Liberty Bell,
Freed Maid, Galaxy Glorious, Last One
Standing: a strong rain doused all.
Still it was needed, and the flowers
needful. Crying for rain, alive only
barely, due to life-support water
artificially provided. Mist is not mist,
is not mist. And yet we take what dew
we find, do what’s needed to survive.
~~
A sonnet-like substance today.
Like the iris growing so well in our garden, I hope you are growing well. Or at least standing your ground!
Hope you are all enjoying National Poetry Month | Academy of American Poets as well as the thoughts of flowering season in the northern hemisphere!