Nature Knew

lillian

All they needed
was a gardener’s catalogue.
They should have known.

Tumpet vine,
also known as trumpet creeper.
Common colors, orange and orange red.

Some consider the plant invasive.
Drops hundreds of seeds
sending up suckers.

Keeping size under control
with aggressive pruning
is often necessary.

If allowed to grow,
can easily take over.
Extremely difficult to get rid of.

Containment
is a
consideration.

Prevent the plant
from reseeding
in other areas of the landscape.

Tumpet vine
can work its way
under shingles

and
cause damage
to foundations.

They should have known.

Stanzas 2 through 9 are quoted from two on-line garden sources. Shared with dVerse OLN, the virtual pub for poets where it’s open link time – share a poem of your choice today – no prompt. Bar opens at 3 PM Boston time. Come imbibe some words or pour your own!

48 thoughts on “Nature Knew”

  1. Morgan February 9, 2017 / 10:31 am

    Very Beautiful 🙂 I’ll definitely have to pop in ! Thank You 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 9, 2017 / 3:35 pm

      I had fun with this one! Frightening as the reality is….

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  3. Misky February 9, 2017 / 11:20 am

    Nice metaphor, even though the guy’s ‘bigly’ frightening.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 9, 2017 / 11:59 am

      Exactly!! As in executive orders and appointments that shake our foundation. He must be contained.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. Bev February 9, 2017 / 3:09 pm

    I enjoyed your ode to the trumpet vine. It gave me occasion to smile, given it has many of the same qualities as our current White House resident, whom I call The Trumpet!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 9, 2017 / 3:37 pm

      Exactly! Gardners knew…..why didn’t everyone know? 😦

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:10 am

      Amazing what you can find with in a gardener’s manual!

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      Reply
  7. Jane Dougherty February 9, 2017 / 3:38 pm

    I have a trumpet vine. Last year it really began to run riot. I loved it. I’ll never think of it in the same way again 😦

    Liked by 1 person

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      • Jane Dougherty February 9, 2017 / 3:41 pm

        I couldn’t possibly blame you. It’s the millions who voted for him I blame.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Glenn Buttkus February 9, 2017 / 3:41 pm

    Trumpets blast out raspberries, as Trump lines, like vines, began choking off the freedom of speech. Containment might be tricky. They should have known indeed.

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    • Iris February 9, 2017 / 7:52 pm

      “Trumpets blast out raspberries” … I love this. You should stick that in a poem, Glenn.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:12 am

      Knew you would enjoy this one, Glenn! 😊

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  9. Linda Kruschke February 9, 2017 / 3:49 pm

    Morning Glory is similar in its invasiveness, but I don’t think the metaphor would have worked nearly as well. 😉

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  10. Michael February 9, 2017 / 4:05 pm

    They should have known shouldn’t they. Right now at my place I have a pumpkin vine growing across my yard and I should have known it would grow and invade as it is BUT I hold out hope there may be some fruit to pick before I have to get rid of it..

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:14 am

      As the gardeners’ manuals say, vines can be fruitful and productive if kept in check and pruned and tended. Once it’s planted and a done deal, then we have to work to make it work. 😊

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:16 am

      Yes. And now that’s the last you’ll see from me on this theme. In my poetry, I want to be me. This trumpet vine is sneaking in to so much else, I’ve decided it won’t appear here again from me.

      Liked by 1 person

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  12. Grace February 9, 2017 / 6:19 pm

    Can’t stand the man but love to see nature where it may be ~ Your metaphor & photo made me smile , ha..ha… Enjoy your time Lillian ~

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:18 am

      Thanks, Grace. I did have fun with it — but this will be the last on the trumpet theme.

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  13. divalounger February 9, 2017 / 7:39 pm

    Love where you took this–I chuckled at the photo–what have we done to ourselves?

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:19 am

      I did have fun with this. But, as I’ve replied to others, it’s the last I’ll let the vine creep into my creative process.

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  15. frankhubeny February 9, 2017 / 7:53 pm

    One of these days I’m going to have to figure out how to make composite photos with many layers.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:21 am

      I use a simple ap called Fused. It’s free and I do have fun with it. There are several others out there also.

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  16. wordpalettes February 9, 2017 / 8:27 pm

    We must “Prevent the plant from reseeding to other areas of the landscape”! Hate breeds hate, fear breeds fear, bigotry, lack of consciousness. It’s like an evil weed is choking out all that is right and free about our country. Nice job and love the photo!

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  17. lynn__ February 9, 2017 / 10:23 pm

    Everyone likes to whine about the vine but, in my mind, protecting life and educational choice is fine 🙂 A plant is proven by its fruit (yes, and trumpets toot).

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    • lillian February 10, 2017 / 7:28 am

      You are exactly right that a vine is proven by its fruit.
      For me, this vine has proliferated into my life: news; FB posts about the vine instead of news about family, pics of kids etc; and I’ve done several poems about the vine. But now, as my post suggests, I’m trimming and pruning and have decided the vine shall not make its way into my writing again. I enjoy writing too much —
      I respect everyone’s right to their opinions. I shall continue to have mine — write to congress members, demonstrate when the cause is appropriate. But – no more in my own poetry. Not the vine.
      I am so glad you read my work. Lynn. Thank you!

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      • lynn__ February 10, 2017 / 9:18 am

        Thanks for your kind response…I agree that political rhetoric is too pervasive.

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Rosemary Nissen-Wade February 10, 2017 / 3:05 am

    I love my trumpet vine. But now, after a few years of blooming, it seems to be losing its vitality. Perhaps that will happen in the metaphorical sense too.

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  19. paul scribbles February 10, 2017 / 9:24 am

    Interesting use of metaphor and perhaps a fitting way to step away from the subject matter.

    It is so divisive in so many ways this narrative ( not yours personally) but the one that has been created there and here too (by brexit)

    My intention in all of this is to seek a place of balance. Not become one sided. Find common ground. Oh but how difficult this is in the face of misogyny, racism and bigotry of all kinds.

    Testing times.

    Is the poet called to speak in such times. I believe we are. Art is a voice that can be heard by all perhaps.

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  21. kaykuala h February 11, 2017 / 5:46 am

    If allowed to grow,
    can easily take over.
    Extremely difficult to get rid of.

    He has been ‘growing’ with lots of Executive orders that threaten stability at home and strong language against foreign govts.(barely 3 weeks into the job) Yes, and everyone seems to be taking him for a joke.

    Hank

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    • lillian February 11, 2017 / 8:26 am

      Oh, I think there are many who do not take him as a joke and are demonstrating, flooding congress with letters, emails, phone calls, etc. Much of the press are publicly noting “alternative facts” and calling them lies and falsehoods. It is an extremely difficult time right now — many, myself included, name it like it is – frightening, He has ignited a new sense of activism in this country. Very sad to see how much has changed in this very short amount of time since January 20th.

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  22. Angela February 17, 2017 / 7:07 am

    What creative and poignant metaphor!

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