What’s Up, Buttercup?

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No man has a heart pure enough to interpret the freshness of flowers. ~Auguste Rodin, French sculptor

A

Pretty

Yellow gold

Bulb was blooming

Beneath a large tree

Waiting to be admired

By me and Monk on our walk.

After appreciating it

And checking my plant app for ID,

I learned its name is Winter Aconite.

 

Native to Europe’s woodlands and meadows,

Part of the buttercup family,

One of Spring’s earliest bloomers,

Winter Aconite attracts

Pollinators, but is

Poisonous to man

And pets, so look,

But don’t touch

It at

All!

Note: Poetry form is Double Etheree.

20 thoughts on “What’s Up, Buttercup?”

  2. I once used this very title for my first sighting of one of our buttercup species, but I never took the next step and turned it into poetry. This is wonderful — both the subject matter and the way you managed to contain a whole experience in your etheree.

    Here’s a side note: I just looked at your background image of the golf course and laughed. There’s not a single dandelion to be seen! Those grounds keepers have been busy!

    • Linda, your comment about the dandelions made me giggle! I don’t recall ever seeing a dandelion on any of the golf courses I’ve played. I guess their crews are kept hopping by the need to have a pristine carpet of green for their members and visitors.

      Thanks for your kind words about my Etheree. They’re quite fun to write, despite my early trepidation about the form. Perhaps it’s good to stretch ourselves with a challenge now and then?!

  4. Debbie, excellent poem! And how interesting to read about the Winter Aconite. Kind of like poinsettia’s. Lovely to look at, but they can be very poisonous to pets.

    Have a superb Sunday, my friend! And Happy Pre-St. Patrick’s Day!

    X

    • Thank you, Ron, for your kind compliment! I almost missed seeing this flower (it was that tiny!), but the yellow color grabbed my attention. I had no clue it was poisonous until I checked on my plant app — good thing the Monk nor I touched it!

      Have a wonderful St. Paddy’s Day. I suspect big cities are the places to be at this time of year — we don’t even have a parade here. But take care in the storms headed your way. XX

  5. What an interesting quote. I wonder if Rodin found sculpting flowers frustrating, trying to capture their freshness in stone.
    You and Monkey found a very pretty flower and learned a lot about it. I’m very impressed by the way you turned the experience into poetry! I never realized that the buttercup family was toxic.

    • Barbara, it’s only chance that kept me and the Monk away from this beauty. I was hunkering down to photograph it, and naturally, the Monk wanted to be right there at the center of it all. He’s not particularly drawn to outdoor plants, though — thankfully! I imagine Rodin did find it frustrating to try to sculpt the beauty of a flower. Some things in nature just can’t be duplicated!

  6. Lovely! It does look like a little buttercup, but I had no idea it was so toxic. I sometimes touch without thinking!

    • Oh, Kelly, I have that same temptation! Particularly if something looks fuzzy or soft! I guess it’s a good lesson to learn, to keep away from things unfamiliar to us (and here, I didn’t even check my plant app until I god back home!)

  8. It’s interesting how animals seem to know instinctively which plants to avoid, whereas silly humans think that because they’re pretty they must be safe! Your etheree is a lovely form of warning!

    • Well, I think you’re granting the Monk way more wisdom than he’s earned! He just isn’t that much into plants, perhaps because he can’t chase them!

  10. Just gorgeous! I didn’t know they were dangerous to people and animals, but then again, they’re made to look at, not touch our eat. Love your poem!

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