I find immense complexity, beauty and fun in the lines and curves of native plant geometry. Here is a short poem about the lines and curves of Florida's native plants:
childhood Florida
plants their recognizable
unique curves and lines
distinct shapes evoke bright
memories of when and where
i last touched their leaves
or when the corners
of my mouth turned up and i
looked back for the
subtle fragrance source
wonderfully overwhelmed with
geometric shapes
leaves, branches, flowers and stems
i don’t even focus
my eyes for i know those
distinct curves and lines
nature’s sketch pad
from all those past days
exploring swamps dunes
forests hills and glades
Florida native plants
sea oats at the beach
sandspurs in my feet
drawn with both sharp angles and
soft curves
or the maze of tangled
moss swaying below outstretched
oak limbs, curves upon curves,
upon curves just
next to obesely large
satin white magnolia blossoms
sweeping high above
saw palmetto’s outstretched
fronds their open hands with
so many fingers full
of flora’s geometry pointing above
tangled green below
dewberry wrapping around
sharper than smilax
its purple fruits strewn by
soft beds tiny violets
the earth fully blanketed over
lyre leaf sage
dark purple and green
complex cut curves
edging vast longleaf pine
flatwoods those swept
of swaying wire grasses
beacon-like fire bright
pineland lilies
orange yellow red
tepals curved with more curves
my fingers tracing
the flower’s flowing outline in the air
just beyond lies
stillwater basins lined
carnivorously those
pitcher plant meadows
a marriage of more lines and curves
adjacent ancient cypress
trees still straight and tall
again lined up in dark but clear
shallows where lines and
curves of cypress needles and
pop ash leaves barely
discernible in subtle earth toned
pond water
earth’s leaf art
framed and stained with
tannins flowing south
north of great fields
pointed sawgrass
currents beneath carrying
nutrients to reddish
brown mangrove arches
rubber vine laced
more curves upon curves
vertically mirrored
brine curving flows
so many lines and
curves to sketch here
lying down on the
cool earth to contemplate now
immense beauty of
native plant art so
full of lines and curves
