Matriarch Supreme

A gift from Mother Nature,

this exceedingly fine

mid-May day, freely offered

to all who value the

spirit of life and choose

this day for a pleasant ramble

in the re-awakened woods.

There, in full living colour

is Trillium grandiflorum, a

tri-cornered white beauty of the

springtime forest.  Its shy,

painted cousin and brash

crimson counterpart, there too.

Admire their beauty but not

to overlook Anemone canadensis

with its ivory-buttercup blooms. 

Look! delicate little strawberry 

flowers stippling  the forest floor.  

!Wild! Lily-of-the-valley's starry

wee florets, and there lovely plumes

of Tiarella cordifolia, Linnaeus.

Caution! innocent of looks and

sincerely attractive puffed

floral heads of Actae rubra 

(Red Baneberry) Be-ware! 

Everywhere capturing our gaze,

viola canadensis, sweet violets,

soft white and purple-mauve.

And look, over there, wild

columbine some call mouse-ears.

Bellwort too, and Marsh marigold -

cowslip to you.  Dandelion makes

its statement firm of presence,

Coltsfoot more the retiring type.

Look up, in the trees, yes,

Serviceberry and Hawthorne

flowers twirling in the breeze.

Best for last, the Petit precheur,

Jack-in-the-pulpit, bashfully 

hiding its purple-striped glory.