Crouched in the blackberry
bramble,
surrounded by thorns, prickers,
an intricate dance to get there,
living barbed wire, razor wire,
tugging on my coat, my jeans
but not a stumbling block, not really
a man on a mission, a purpose,
lowering myself to the dark small fruit
gathering in, berry by sweet-tart-wet berry
scratches growing, a burgundy stain,
on eager fingertips, stretching, reaching.
surrounded by thorns, prickers,
an intricate dance to get there,
living barbed wire, razor wire,
tugging on my coat, my jeans
but not a stumbling block, not really
a man on a mission, a purpose,
lowering myself to the dark small fruit
gathering in, berry by sweet-tart-wet berry
scratches growing, a burgundy stain,
on eager fingertips, stretching, reaching.
short on patience, gatherers as of old,
of a simpler, primal age, these fruits,
foraging in woods, at the edge of fields,
finding food in the wild, untamed,
uncultivated, natural state, in nature
crouched in the blackberry bramble,
collecting tiny gems, tasty pearls
ready to melt on the tongue, that moment,
now swatting at mosquitoes that stalked us,
seeking to drive us from the field, their forest.
of younger, fitful pickers, eager for fruit,
not the quest, the search, under leaves,
under branches, the clusters hidden, obscured,
shrouded from the view, the sight of less tenacious,
casual picker, distracted, no ready for the valiant,
eager for this fruit, this nectar, ambrosia,
the foods of the gods, the ancients before us;
Gather them in, them all in, for the pie,
the reward we seek, at the end of the work,
full true fruits of our labors, their taste.
Edited February 29, 2024
Crouched in the blackberry bramble – v4
Crouched in the blackberry bramble – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/08/crouched-in-blackberry-bramble-v3.html
edited August 25, 2014
Crouched in the blackberry bramble – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/08/crouched-in-blackberry-bramble-v2.html
August 31, 2006 9:22am
Crouched in the blackberry bramble
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/08/crouched-in-blackberry-bramble_31.html
&
Edited February 29, 2024
living goblets – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/living-goblets-v5.html
edited February 11, 2022
living goblets – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/living-goblets-v4.html
Edited after reading "Blackberries",
by Mary Oliver
&
edited November 28, 2019
living goblets – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/11/living-goblets-v3.html
edited November 27, 2019
living goblets – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/11/living-goblets-v2.html
November 27, 2019
living goblets
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/11/living-goblets-of-juice-of-nectar-no.html
&
edited November 28, 2019
A Cup of Berries – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-cup-of-berries-v4.html
edited August 22, 2019
A Cup of Berries – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-cup-of-berries-v3.html
edited June 21, 2014
A Cup of Berries – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-cup-of-berries-v2.html
August 10, 2008
A Cup of Berries
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/08/cup-of-berries.html
&
edited February 10, 2022
Apricot and Periwinkle – v7
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/apricot-and-periwinkle-v7.html
edited after reading “Little Sister Pond”,
by Mary Oliver
&
edited March 21, 2021
Apricot and Periwinkle - v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2021/03/apricot-and-periwinkle-v6.html
edited May 5, 2018
Apricot and Periwinkle – v5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2018/05/apricot-and-periwinkle-v5.html
(editing version 4, adding 1st stanza)
edited September 28, 2017
Apricot and Periwinkle – v4
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/09/apricot-and-periwinkle-v4.html
edited January 18, 2016
Apricot and Periwinkle – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2016/01/apricot-and-periwinkle-v3.html
(merging edits to version 2 and original)
edited June 21, 2014
Apricot and Periwinkle – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/apricot-and-periwinkle-v2.html
Written 8/28/00 at 10:20 at night
Apricot and Periwinkle
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/sunset-seeing-colors.html
Written 8/28/00 at 10:20 at night
Swain’s Lake, Barrington, NH
&
February 10, 2022
where they bedded for the night
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/where-they-bedded-for-night.html
written after reading “Little Sister Pond”,
by Mary Oliver
&
Edited February 10, 2022
something ancient, sacred - v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/something-ancient-sacred-v6.html
February 10, 2022
Gathering another branch
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/gathering-another-branch.html
written after reading "A Meeting"
by Mary Oliver
&
edited February 8, 2022
Building their nest – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/building-their-nest-v2.html
February 7, 2022
Building their nest
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/building-their-nest.html
&
edited February 10, 2022
something ancient, sacred – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/something-ancient-sacred-v5.html
edited February 10, 2022
something ancient, sacred – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/something-ancient-sacred-v4.html
edited February 9, 2022
something ancient, sacred – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/something-ancient-sacred-v3.html
edited after reading, “Crossing the Swamp”,
by Mary Oliver
&
Edited October 19, 2013
something ancient, sacred – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/10/something-ancient-sacred-v2.html
July 21, 2013
something ancient, sacred
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/07/something-ancient-sacred.html
about fishing trip
July 17, 2013
&
edited February 9, 2022
drawn to the source – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/drawn-to-source-v2.html
February 9, 2022
drawn to the source
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/drawn-to-source.html
written after reading, “The Fish” and
“Honey at the Table”,
by Mary Oliver
&
edited February 9, 2022
Wooing the Darkness to Sleep – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/wooing-darkness-to-sleep-v2.html
February 9, 2022
Wooing the Darkness to Sleep
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/wooing-darkness-to-sleep.html
written after reading, “White Night”,
by Mary Oliver
&
edited February 9, 2022
Her Lady Slipper – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/her-lady-slipper-v3.html
edited after reading “May”,
by Mary Oliver
&
edited February 9, 2022
at the edge of the lake – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/at-edge-of-lake-v4.html
edited February 9, 2022
at the edge of the lake – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/at-edge-of-lake-v3.html
edited February 9, 2022
at the edge of the lake – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/at-edge-of-lake-v2.html
edited February 9, 2022
onto the water – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/onto-water-v2.html
February 8, 2022
onto the water
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/onto-water.html
about summer 2000,
written after reading "Blossom"
by Mary Oliver
&
February 8, 2022
at the edge of the lake
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/at-edge-of-lake.html
about summer 2000,
written after reading "Morning on Great Pond"
by Mary Oliver
&
edited February 8, 2022
in the woods I wandered – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/in-woods-i-wandered-v3.html
edited February 8, 2022
in the woods I wandered – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/in-woods-i-wandered-v2.html
February 8, 2022
in the woods I wandered
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/in-woods-i-wandered.html
written after reading “Spring”
by Mary Oliver
&
edited February 8, 2022
The bramble enticing – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-bramble-enticing-v2.html
February 8, 2022
the bramble enticing
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-bramble-enticing.html
Written after reading "Skunk Cabbage"
by Mary Oliver
&
February 6, 2022
Diatomaceous earth
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/diatomaceous-earth.html
Written after reading "Rain in Ohio",
By Mary Oliver
&
February 6, 2022
The raptors, their carrion
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-raptors-their-carrion.html
Written after reading "Vultures" by Mary Oliver.
&
January 3, 2022
A squadron of geese
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-squadron-of-geese.html
written after reading Clapp’s Brook by Mary Oliver
&
January 3, 2022
The bear cub
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-bear-cub.html
About drive out of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
after 2019 Stars Over Katahdin dark skies event.
Drafted after reading first part of poem "Clapp's Brook" by Mary Oliver.
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