Ladies' Hats

Out in the Sonora desert
where cacti grow fat 

the Saguaros are blooming
like a lady's hat.

    If you look carefully at the white trumpet flowers of the saguaro in my picture, you can see black dots that are bees gathering pollen.  Our flowers are out early this year.  The flowers are usually at their height on Mother's Day, which is why I think of flowered ladies' hats.

   Is there a flower,  plant, bird, or animal that you have noticed this year being early or late?  Your challenge today is to write a poem about being early or late.
Are you a person who is early?  Are you a morning person?  Or are you late, letting your homework go until the last moment?  Do you like staying up late at night?  Have fun writing your poem no matter when you do it.

BARREL CACTUS

Barrel Cactus, Joy Acey, Aug. 2013

In the desert it's raining.
The thunder BOOMS.
But in the morning
the barrel cactus blooms.

The flowers are glossy ,
yellow and red,
so I'm happy if I see
a thunder head.


     Most of the time the barrel cacti are just big lumps of spines.  Some have pretty yellow spines, like on golden barrel cacti.  But when we have monsoon rains every plant and animal feels like it better reproduce fast or they will miss their window of opportunity.  What is blooming around you?  Can you write a poem describing a plant you know?  Have fun thinking about all the things you know about the plant.
Does your plant have a name?  Enjoy writing your poem.