Happy Poetry Friday!
DISGUISING DANDELIONS
Dandelions are roaring
all over my neighborhood.
Spreading their manes and
spike-edge leaves announcing
their spring entrance…
Impatiently they
winter-waited,
and mysteriously
appeared overnight,
as if making a
covert attack,
claiming their
sovereign
ground.
Dandelions stand
poised and ready
for sleepy bees
slightly starved
slumbering out,
from hither and yon.
And dandy dandelions
eagerly assist our
baffled bees who
seek an energy-quick
nip of nourishing
nectar,
yum—
Have
at ‘em
sluggish bees
s-s-s-l-u-r-p!
© 2022 Michelle Kogan
DANDY DANDELION
by Christopher Morley
When Dandy Dandelion wakes
And combs his yellow hair,
The ant his cup of dewdrop takes
And sets his bed to air;
The worm hides in a quilt of dirt
To keep the thrush away,
The beetle dons his pansy shirt—
They know that it is day!
And caterpillars haste to milk
The cowslips in the grass;
The spider, in his web of silk,
Looks out for flies that pass.
Read the rest of the poem here.
Here’s DakhaBrakha, a Ukrainian band who, continue to perform and spread their eclectic, often hypnotizing, moving music, and culture. There’s also a brief interview, by KEXP, with the band at the end of their performance. I continue to keep all Ukrainians close to my heart.
Rose Cappelli at her blog Imagine the Possibilities is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Rose—Be sure to stop by and fill up on more poetry!
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Your poem captures the annual experience of dandelions “mysteriously appearing overnight” to nourish the bees. So cool. And then *poof* their minds are blown. Thanks for sharing, Michelle.
Oh, check out the Ukrainian entry, Kalush Orchestra, in the Eurovision Song Contest – amazing rappers and favored to win! 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiEGVYOruLk
I never thought of bees being attracted to dandelions. I love how you portray them as just waking and in the need of nourishment. A tribute to the unsung dandelion! “Dandelions are roaring are over my neighborhood” – perfect beginning.
Thanks for the pair of dandelion poems and your gorgeous painting! And the video was very interesting — quite avant garde, so unique. I’ll have to ask Serge T if he’s familiar with their music.
ooh, Michelle, love “sleepy bees/slightly starved/slumbering out” … I watch for dandelions in our forest; it’ll be another month or so, but I love when they appear!
I love that the dandelions are roaring and that they winter-waited. Such great spunk in this poem.
I love your use of metaphor in the first stanza without using the word lion but hinting at it with roar and mane. A great craft move.
I love those roaring dandelions! Good to remember that they are early FLOWERS, not weeds, and the bees need them!
Gosh, I love this! You had me at “dandelions are roaring.” So many great lines!
I’m smitten with those “roaring dandelions” too, Michelle – great post. And art. Thanks, too, for the DakhaBrakha link; I believe that’s the band I just heard about on NPR recently. We’ll celebrate sunflowers with the dandelions.
Your dandelion poem and your gorgeous artwork. Your posts are always filled with beauty!