HARVESTING SUNSHINE

“If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn.” - Andrew Mason
 

Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion, is a common flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae. It can be found growing in temperate regions of the world, in lawns, on roadsides, on disturbed banks and shores of waterways, and other areas with moist soils. T. officinale is considered a weed, especially in lawns and along roadsides, but it is sometimes used as a medicinal herb and in food preparation. Dandelion wine is a traditional brewed drink prepared from the flowering heads. Common dandelion is well known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of silver tufted fruits that disperse in the wind called “blowballs” or “clocks”.
 
Magpie Tales has chosen the painting “Lighthouse Dandelions” by Jamie Wyeth, a detail of which appears above, in order to inspire creative writing efforts amongst her followers. Here is my contribution:
 
Harvesting Sunshine
 
The suns of dandelions bloom again,
Shining like golden medals amongst the undergrowth.
They promise rich harvests
To busy bees and ants at work
As they negotiate the intricacy of divided petals.
 
Delving into the depth of each flower
One finds style, stigma, stamen: A microcosm of functionality;
The magic and mystery of pollination
Swelling seeds in burgeoning ovaries,
Spring's fecundity magnified in minuteness.
 
The sun is mirrored in each blossom,
As stalks stretch up, carrying the golden flowers skyward.
They render invitations to be picked,
Captured, to be brewed and bottled
Giving a golden wine – liquid sunshine for Winter’s days.