Apr
2017
Poetry Friday: Ode to Dandelions
Our neighbors may not appreciate it, but I love the diverse horticulture found across our lawn. This time of year, multitudes of spring wildflowers are sprinkled across the grass: violets, spring beauties, clover, and of course, dandelions.
The best part about dandelions (even better than their cheerful yellow blooms and fun-to-blow seeds) is you can eat them. I’ve been knows to pick a few of the yellow flowers to toss in salads or fry up in a little batter. This year I tried something new to see if I could preserve the essence of carefree summer days–dandelion jelly. I was pleased with the results, but after spending way too many hours snipping off enough yellow petals (no green allowed), I’m not sure I’ll do it again. If you are interested in trying to make some yourself, here are the directions I followed.
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- Pick lots of dandelions! Even though I filled a big bowl, you couldn’t see that any were missing from the yard by the next morning.
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- After snipping off 4 cups of yellow petals, pour over boiling water and let steep over night to make dandelion tea.
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- Add sugar and pectin and boil. Then fill jars and boil them in a water bath to seal. They do look a bit sunny, don’t they?
When I saw the poetry challenge by Helen Frost to write an ode last month at Today’s Little Ditty, I wanted to try it, but didn’t get it done in March. I’m glad that Michelle Barnes offered a smorgasbord (submit a poem for any prior challenge) for April’s Ditty of the Month Challenge so I still have a chance to play!
Ode to Dandelions
Yellow stars spring
up across a universe
of green grass,
forming constellations
traced by buzzing bees
who stop to sip nectar
sweetened by sunshine
and soft summer breezes.
How can I bottle up
your golden promise
to savor on a winter’s day?
Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Tabatha has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at The Opposite of Indifference. Drop by and see what poetry morsels are offered this week. If you want even more poetry goodness, check out the roundup of poetic events throughout the Kidlitosphere at Jama’s Alphabet Soup.
Bridget Magee
April 24, 2017 at 6:05 pm (7 years ago)Dandelion jelly? I’ll never look at those little flowers the same way again! I love “Even though I filled a big bowl, you couldn’t see that any were missing from the yard by the next morning.” hee-hee
Also, love the lines, “Yellow stars spring
up across a universe
of green grass,” – the perfect visual, Kay. =)
Mrs. McGriff
April 24, 2017 at 8:17 pm (7 years ago)Thanks! So far the dandelion jelly has been a hit with everyone who has tried it.
Linda Mitchell
April 23, 2017 at 12:24 pm (7 years ago)I love those bees—I wonder if they are actually preserving the sun for us in their honey? I sure would love to bottle up some summer for a cold winter’s day.
Mrs. McGriff
April 24, 2017 at 2:05 pm (7 years ago)I would have to say that honey certainly tastes like bottled sunshine!
KatApel
April 22, 2017 at 11:21 pm (7 years ago)Goodness! I have dandelions, and never knew they were edible! Will need to pursue this further, I see. Thanks for sharing. I love your questions – and nectar sweetened by sunshine.
Mrs. McGriff
April 24, 2017 at 2:04 pm (7 years ago)Enjoy your dandelion adventures!
Michelle Kogan
April 22, 2017 at 8:46 pm (7 years ago)Lovely dandelion poem Kay, I love your closing line,
“How can I bottle up
your golden promise
to savor on a winter’s day?”
Our yard is filled with many of these colorful spring flowers too.
Mrs. McGriff
April 24, 2017 at 2:04 pm (7 years ago)Thank you. Enjoy those bright blooms while they last. Ours are nearly gone.
Linda Baie
April 22, 2017 at 8:54 am (7 years ago)I’ve written a number of dandelion poems, Kay, and have never thought this: “constellations
traced by buzzing bees”. Wonderful to imagine. A friend says that dandelions should not be removed in early spring for that is the one thing that keeps the bees surviving before other flowers arrive. I love that you made dandelion tea. A very favorite book is Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. I imagine you would love it. Thanks for sharing so much!
Mrs. McGriff
April 22, 2017 at 4:19 pm (7 years ago)My favorite dandelion poem is in Valerie Worth’s All the Small Poems. We had lots of bees enjoying the dandelions. I had to be careful picking! And yes, I loved Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine. I’ve wanted to try making some ever since I read it. Maybe next spring.
Mary Lee Hahn
April 22, 2017 at 7:42 am (7 years ago)Hooray for Yard Diversity! That’s what keeps ours green when the other monoculture yards are turning brown!
Next up for me, an ode! Thanks for the inspiration!
Mrs. McGriff
April 22, 2017 at 4:18 pm (7 years ago)We always have something growing in our yard, thanks to that diversity. I’m looking forward to seeing your ode.
Brenda Harsham
April 22, 2017 at 12:49 am (7 years ago)Love the golden promise. A little sunshine in mid-Winter. I like.
Mrs. McGriff
April 22, 2017 at 5:56 am (7 years ago)Thank you. That sunshine is most appreciated through the winter.
Violet N.
April 21, 2017 at 11:25 pm (7 years ago)How interesting. I’ve never heard of dandelion jelly. I do love your poem, especially the yellow stars in a constellation of green, and the astronaut bees!
Mrs. McGriff
April 22, 2017 at 5:55 am (7 years ago)Thank you. It was our first time to try the jelly.
Jane @ Raincity Librarian
April 21, 2017 at 10:05 pm (7 years ago)Dandelions are wonderful food for bees, too! They’re such wonderful, under-appreciated little balls of sunshine, well celebrated here! 🙂
Mrs. McGriff
April 22, 2017 at 5:55 am (7 years ago)Yes, they are. I had to be careful picking them not to bother the bees!
jama
April 21, 2017 at 4:44 pm (7 years ago)Wow, never heard of dandelion jelly! This is such a warm, sunshiny post from start to finish. Great poem. Thank you. 🙂
Mrs. McGriff
April 21, 2017 at 7:07 pm (7 years ago)Thank you. I just recently discovered the jelly.
Irene Latham
April 21, 2017 at 4:05 pm (7 years ago)Oh those yellow stars! Of course we’d like to bottle them… not sure I’ve ever actually eaten them, and I’m okay with that. 🙂 Thank you for your lovely poem!
Mrs. McGriff
April 21, 2017 at 7:07 pm (7 years ago)The jelly is as close as I’ve come to bottling them! Don’t worry, it tastes sweet more than anything else, but it’s quite all right to pass on eating them, too!
Laura Shovan
April 21, 2017 at 9:43 am (7 years ago)The last three lines are beautiful, Kay. Dandelions always make me think of Ray Bradbury’s book Dandelion Wine.
Mrs. McGriff
April 21, 2017 at 9:49 am (7 years ago)Oh yes, I think of that book, too. I haven’t gotten brave enough to try making dandelion wine, though!
Christie Wyman
April 21, 2017 at 8:40 am (7 years ago)I have plenty of “yellow starts” to harvest already from my “universe of green grass,” so thanks for the ideas! 🙂 — Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/blog/
Mrs. McGriff
April 21, 2017 at 9:03 am (7 years ago)Enjoy them! Some people eat the greens too, either cooked or fresh in salads, but I find the a little bitter.
Tabatha
April 21, 2017 at 8:37 am (7 years ago)How cool that you made dandelion jelly! I hear they make good fritters, too. I dug up some dandelion roots to make bitters, but I don’t have enough yet.
“How can I bottle up
your golden promise
to savor on a winter’s day?” — perfect!
Mrs. McGriff
April 21, 2017 at 9:02 am (7 years ago)I’ve fried the blooms like fritters. It completely freaked out my daughter, but she liked the jelly. Thanks for the comment on the ending. I struggled to write it.