Branches droop, shiny red and ready.
Apples ignored too long, skin once taut
now caved in, ooze on ground below.
Sweet, rot-alicious smell draws gnats
as fruit flies swarm over boot slick ground.
Orchard sulks as farmer tends to corn.
Written for dVerse Poets’ Pub. The bar is tended by Victoria Slotto today and she urges us to write a poem in the style of Imagism….”the words are pure description.” Photo Credit: Petra Winkler.
lillian the home poet 
Oh, and these words are pure description. Our neighbor’s apple tree hangs over our fence and this is exactly what happens. Rot-alicious: perfect!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Victoria! I will rest easy tonight….after reading all the comments at the bar, I was worried it wasn’t succinct enough. So very glad you liked it! PS: really appreciated the gentle reminder to folks about reading and commenting. Gone all day today…will get to the joyful task (although not really a task at all) of reading folks in the AM. Off to the sack now……till the AM….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sleep tight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“sulks”!!!
What a fantastic verb choice here! I can SEE it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you thank you thank you! So very glad you like it….and can see it! 🙂 Rotting apples popped into my head….have no idea why???
LikeLike
“rot-a-licious” is perfect…I can smell it and picture those gnats and flies swarming. Love the sulking orchard!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks much….I played around with that “word” — as in smell-alicious, decay-alicious and then found rot-malicious! 🙂 So fun to make up words! 🙂
LikeLike
Why is farmer passing all that luscious looking apples by. I wouldn’t 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
When the corn calls…. 😊
LikeLike
Man, I LOVE this. This one might be my favorite of all the entries.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my! Blush. Thank you so very much – so glad you like it! DVerse is such an amazing place — I’ve learned so very much from so many in such a short time. Joined in late December. Got this posted late last night so on my way for enjoyable reading this morning! So many talented people sidle up to this bar 🙂
LikeLike
A sulking orchard.. What an image, and so well done. Of course the rot-alicious – I could smell this poem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you liked it Bjorn!
LikeLike
Terrific image….triggers memories of summers past and picking apples.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes…the first home we owned in the early 70s was on 15 acres in the country and there were 4 apple trees on the property. I canned apple sauce and learned to put tin foil in the bottom of a pie plate, fill it with apple pie filling (made from the tree apples), freeze it, then take it out of the freezer and out of the pie plate, put it in bags stacked on top of each other, then do it again and again with that pie plate. I think we had only 2 pie plates but we ate Apple pie all through the winter! 🙂
LikeLike
Rot-alicious indeed 😀 great write.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you liked it! A fun one to write!
LikeLike
At least the rats will have a feast! >
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes…I can see them cleaning off their whiskers now! 🙂
LikeLike
Beautiful imagery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
…and thank you for the very nice reply 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great description! Growing up, we had 3 apple trees and the process is just as you described! Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it 🙂 Smiling I am while sipping my morning coffee.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yummy. Can’t have the stuff but oh how I loved it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, those farmers definitely ARE a fickle lot, aren’t they? Enjoyed the mental picture of the apples sulking!
LikeLiked by 1 person
….once they get on those darn tractors….especially nowadays with their airconditioned cabin and music systems! 🙂
LikeLike
great poem! “Sweet, rot-alicious smell draws gnats” — that line caught me by surprise. I love it. It’s so true. My parents had fruit trees and growing up, I recall that smell which you captured so perfectly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun….so fun to create words and have them resonate with people! Happy I am 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes because that’s exactly how they smell–delicious though you know they’re rotting. It’s a scent that droves one’s nose crazy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ah…you took us there…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you smell it?? 😊 Happy to take you on the ride!
LikeLike
We have the look, smell, even the awful taste comes to mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mmmm…I prefer to think of the ones I picked and made into apple pies—the beautiful aroma was tantalizing and many a time I burned my tongue on that first bite! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
The most delicious dessert.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve provided atmospheric as well as strong sensory descriptions–a delight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you liked it…smiling I am!
LikeLike
Whenever I see fruit going to waste, I try to get permission to pick the best of it & donate it to food banks. You did very well with the form, & thanks for all the lovely things you wrote about the rest of us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah Glenn…..would that this fictional (poetical?) farmer had thought to do the same!
Glad you liked the poem and I’m so very pleased to hear from you! I very much enjoy this group — am learning tons…and am so grateful to Bjorn for inviting me to join in mid-December! 🙂
So nice getting to know everyone!
LikeLike
You did so well with the visuals. I could see those rotting apples oozing…..eww.
The idea of the orchard “sulking” just topped it off!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much…glad you enjoyed…even with an www! 😊
LikeLike
This is great and I love the word rot a licious as all the creepy crawlies love that smell!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Made up words are so fun! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bright eyed peaches
desKing miNd/boDy
heArts
creativity
@school..
cogs now
machines
@work..
prey
hoping
one now
peach wiLL
stop rotting
and ripe again..
moving.. connecting
creating fruition aLive..:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the read and reply! 🙂
LikeLike