WINTER HAIKU # 2
In the wonderland
Everything had softened
But for the bitter chill
THE FRENCH MARIGOLD – A COMPANION
The French Marigold is more than
Just a pretty flower of the daisy family
It is also used in companion planting
For many vegetable crops.
Its root secretions kill nematodes
And their presence repels harmful insects,
Such as white flies on tomatoes
A SOFT BLANKET OF WHITE
A soft blanket of white
Hid the land from sight
And despite winters bite
Was a scene of pure delight
ELDER FLOWER
My father made exceptionally good homemade wine
And it was his passion, and he used nature’s larder
For his ingredients and his favourite was Sambucus
Better known as Elder or more often Elderberry
In spring he used the small white or cream-colored flowers
For his Elder flower concoction, then later in the season
He picked clusters of small black, blue-black, or red berries
And produced his locally renowned Elderberry Wine
Which was a fruity and subtle drink with a spectacular bite
THE ICE RIMED TREES STOOD
The ice rimed trees stood
Before the snow queens cathedral
Like great ice pillars
IN THE DEWY SPRING MEADOW
In the dewy spring meadow
I watch the dawn’s first rays
Beginning to evaporate the mist
In the majesty of the spring days
THE DECEMBER MOON WAS FULL
The December moon was full
And bathed the landscape
In its bright lunar light
So that the ice crystals sparkled
Like diamonds in the snow
THE FIERCE SPRING GALES
The fierce spring gales
Howl all through the night
Whipping up the seas
And turning wave tops white
The poor souls at sea
On the dark spring night
In the teeth of the tempest
Feel it’s savage bite
And pray to their gods
To save them from their plight
As the gale blows through
On the dark spring night
LUNAR LIGHT SPARKLED
Lunar light sparkled
On twinkling ice, mimicking
Celestial cousins