Dandelions
an egg cup holds
short-stemmed
spring dandelions
picked by
tiny hands
from along the
warm garage wall
thrust up
sticky sap stained
fingers
squeezed bright yellow
the mother holds
these shaggy gifts
under her child’s chin
says
you like butter
don’t you
the child laughs
years later
tests her own child’s chin
~ Joyce Harries
Joyce Harries was born in Edmonton in 1928. She has had two books published: Girdles and Other Harnesses I Have Known (Lone Pine Publishing, 2000) and Twice in a Blue Moon (Spotted Cow Press, 2007). She’s a full member of the League of Canadian Poets. Don’t hold your breath – she’s working on a novel.
“The simple poem, ‘Dandelions,’ was prompted when the first of those yellow signs of spring poked through my south facing patio fence. I recalled my mother, circa 1931, holding a dandelion under my chin, as I did with my own children and they say they too did with theirs.”
Read more of ‘s poetry:
– Not at the Quinte Hotel
Editor’s note: This poem is from Home and Away – a sequel to the bestselling Writing the Land (2007). Look for one poet to be featured each day as Alberta poets ponder the question “what is home?†and explore our complex relationship with working on, living with, exploiting and protecting our land and our home. For more information about the project, click here.
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