Bleeding hearts
(more like other parts
if viewed from some angles)
Indian pipes
(moist as packaged wipes,
on slopes, in tangles)
Naked lady
leaves nothing shady
on the ground below
Dutchman's breeches
history teaches
the Dutch wore them so
Lady's thumb
has a flavor some-
thing like fresh millet
Dry land fish
are a tasty dish
fried up in a skillet
Oak apples
thorn apples
they can't be serious
Cedar apples
love apples
sarcasm was furious
Lady's slipper
fits a doll's flipper
like a miniature shoe
But elephant ears
the linguist fears
never would do
Look up sass
look up frass
glad sassafras is neither?
Pineapple's
not pine nor apple
and never was either
A moon penny
is not worth any
money, Earth or lunar
Blue grass
from green will pass
to orange, sooner
Bread-and-butter,
people mutter,
no more that than cheese--
and at least a hundred
more plant names are
as funny as these
(Fun fact: Except for the human fat, Raymond Buckland has documented that all the nasty-sounding things Shakespeare put into the witches' brew in Macbeth were wildflowers.)
This is just delightful (and spot on!) Thanks for stopping by, Priscilla! Happy December!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeanie!
ReplyDeleteFun and funny! It reads like a nursery rhyme and reminds me of this sister poem which I wrote long ago. https://looseleafnotes.com/2013/02/a-jam-slam/
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike...so do whimsical minds? Thank you for the link. It really is a "sister poem."
DeleteThis was a delight to read! And I agree with Colleen, it sounds like a nursery rhyme in love with a gardener's mind. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Magaly!
DeleteCute and whimsical!
ReplyDeleteThank you Rommy!
DeleteOh, how I love this! Including the clever rhyme scheme. (And I am always trying to explain to people that the witches in Macbeth were talking herbally.)
ReplyDeleteYes...I think Shakespeare meant just to make them as creepy as possible, but he might have found an actual recipe for some sort of "flying" or mystifying potion.
DeleteFor me this was a fun read, Thank You. Clever too, especially the lady verses. The rhyme made it more fun to read, thanks for that also.
ReplyDelete..
Thank you Jim!
DeleteHa ha!! Always interesting to find out why those names came about... probably some fascinating stories there!!!
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to know the "why"! "Apple" might have been used to mean any fruit, as "corn" meant any grain. "Lady's thumb" could have indicated how long the leaves are. "Elephant ear" might have been thought to describe the shape of the leaves, which are large, but not that large. The others, who knows?
DeleteDelightful! Reads like a nursery rhyme.
ReplyDeleteThe names we made for some flowers! Over here we have coat buttons, mile-a-minute, elephant grass and cupid's shave brush, to name a few. :)
I've heard of elephant grass. It would be fun to read a blog post about these, with pictures.
DeleteThat's a Lovely take for a prompt àns nice fun read too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jossina!
DeleteDelightful! You got me smiling.
ReplyDeleteThank you, that's good to know!
DeleteSo great to read and love the rhythmn of it
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susie!
DeleteSeriously, a fun read. Smiled the whole way through.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Margaret!
Delete