“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.” A.A. Milne
This isn’t the first time that I’ve written about dandelions (to see a previous post and my favorite dandelion picture ever, click here). Every year they delight me more, and this year, it seems like there’s been a bumper crop. I’ve been more fascinated than ever and I’ve taken picture after picture of them in all different stages, from all different angles. It’s addictive! I’ve also been having a lot of fun reading and writing dandelion inspired poetry.
This Valerie Worth poem is one of my perennial favorites. (Get it? lol)
dandelion
Out of
Green space,
A sun:
Bright for
A day, burning
Away to
A husk, a
Cratered moon:
Burst
In a week
To dust:
Seeding
The infinite
Lawn with
Its starry
Smithereens.
~Valerie Worth
And here is a new favorite of mine, discovered this spring in my dandelion mania.
I Wandered Lonely as a … Dandelion?
by William Barton
A plague on your daffodils, Mr Wordsworth.
Granted, daffodils look very fine – harbinger of spring and such,
But they just stand about admiring themselves
or head-tossing and fluttering in a freezing gale,
and you can buy a pot in any corner shop.
The trouble with daffodils is that they turn up
at such a miserable time of the year – snow, ice, fog etc –
season of flu and fruity cold-full-ness.
As a countryman you should have written a poem about
“a crowd, a host of…dandelions”
(click here to read the remainder of this delightful poem)
And here are two of my recent efforts.
Things To Do If You’re a Dandelion
Spangle a spring meadow
Sway in a breeze
Tap deep into soil
Nourish the bees
Gather your energy
Pucker up tight
Then burst into seed and
Launch into flight
©2018 M. Hogan
Meadow Genie
Sun-lit dandelion
Shakes out her gossamer skirts
Poised to grant wishes
©2018 M. Hogan
If you’re not suffering from dandelion fatigue yet, here’s a time-lapse video of a dandelion moving through its life cycle. I could watch it again and again! (and have!)
Finally, here are some of my favorite dandelion photos.
Kiesha Shepard is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup on her blog, Whispers from the Ridge. She’s sharing a beautiful summer poem and links to more poetic treats.
Nix the comfort zone 
I’ve written a few poems about dandelions, too. A friend celebrates them for the first bee food of spring. I love all the post, the Valerie Worth poem, wow. How does she manage to nail it every time. And I love “But they just stand about admiring themselves”-marvelous. And your “spangle a spring meadow”. They, plus all flowers here have been amazing this spring. I think you should enter a few of those pics in a contest, Molly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Linda, I just this year heard about dandelions being important early bee food. I pushed off my first mowing, hoping to give the bees a bit longer to enjoy the dandelions.
LikeLike
Well I like the idea of wishes sprouting from dandelions, and you captured perfectly the life cycle of a dandelion in your poem, “Things To Do If You’re a Dandelion,” beautiful, thanks for both of these, and all the images, and poems too–gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Michelle! Dandelions are such generous, egalitarian blossoms. How can you not love them?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Blown away with your photography! Too bad people don’t buy coffee table books anymore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dan! I find so much joy in taking pictures and am glad you enjoyed them. I may have a small exhibition this fall at our local arts center and am very excited about that!
LikeLike
Perennial favorites…good one! Love these poems — glad to see someone is as infatuated with dandelions as I am! For Mother’s Day, my family gave me a journal for making an herbarium and my older daughter gave me some plants she had pressed to get me started. I am looking forward to getting dandelions at various stages to add.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you appreciated the pun, Tabatha. I couldn’t resist! I’m fascinated by the idea of your herbarium. What a thoughtful gift! I hope you’ll share pictures as you move forward.
LikeLike
Dandelions are such spectacular flowers – it’s a wonder we haven’t tried to tame them into mediocrity! Love thinking of them as a “crowd”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’re such symbols of cheer and determination, aren’t they?
LikeLike
Love this post — all the poems and pics, and especially the time lapse video. Certainly have a newfound appreciation for dandelions now (haven’t seen any in awhile). I think Dickinson liked dandelions too, so you’re in great company. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jama. Isn’t that video fascinating?
LikeLike
What a wonderful collection of images and poems dedicated to dandelion! I wish they would stick around a little longer here on the ridge. They are such fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems like we’ve moved along into buttercups now. The fields are speckled with gold again!
LikeLike
Dandelions are so, so important as butterfly food, thank you for celebrating this unsung flower!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Until this year, I hadn’t realized how important dandelions were to our insect friends. I appreciate them even more now!
LikeLike
This is an extravaganza indeed! LOVE your poems (“spangle” and “pucker” are such fun and apt words) and your photos! Three cheers for the (previously) unsung hero of the flower world!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Mary Lee! I got a bit carried away with my dandelion mania and, believe it or not, had to cut some things out of this post.
LikeLike
Molly, your passion for these under appreciated plants is celebrated through your own words with additional support from other poets. These collected works serve to evoke memories of dandelions and childhood. Valerie Worth is a hero of the everyday object. She reminds us all to look again; to look closer and hopefully gain insight. Thank you for your most engaging post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your description of Valerie Worth as “hero of the everyday object” is spot on! She’s wonderful! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
LikeLike
I love this collection of dandelion thoughts, Molly. I was just thinking what will you send me for my spring gallery and here it is with its gossamer skirt-a wonderful visual. I just captured your image poem for my gallery if that is fine with you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Carol. I’d love to see my image poem in your spring gallery! I’m looking forward to spending more time creating image poems this summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great, watch for the invitation to the summer gallery. In the meantime, I will place your dandelion image poem in the spring collection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Molly- What a terrific collection in images and words! Valerie Worth has always been one of my favorites, simply because she is so good at creating beautiful word images from tiny things. I think you are equally talented. And I sat and watched the whole video- it was beautiful. I’m going to send it to my neighbor, who is always making snide comments about my yard!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely compliment! Thank you! I love that you’re sending the video to your neighbor. lol Maybe dandelions can be messengers of peace as well? They certainly do cross borders with ease!
LikeLike
Amazing images. You have such a good photographic eye. Love the word spangle and the image of dandelion flight. Such a fascinating flower!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a bit like the butterfly of the flower world, isn’t it? Such a transformation!
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing these poems! Dandelions are my favorite flowers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a wonderful post, Molly! I love all your photos, and who wouldn’t want to “spangle a spring meadow”? Thank you for sharing that video, too. The transformation is truly amazing!
LikeLike