Lines and Curves, Nature Poetry

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