“Cherries” by Barbara La Morticella

On By Christina's WordsIn Poetry

Fireweed loves the yard
and the fire that conjured it
into the light.

And the scarlet elderberry
loves the old junkpile
          it leans against.

The morning glory smothers everything
in an embrace: the fence,
the wood workbench,
the rusted steel.

Here’s a summer day that’s so slow
even the light
          moves like honey;

Daisies jump fences
          and then just mill around.

Here’s a cherry tree that’s so rich
when it offers its heart to the birds,

every cherry
          is a year of cherries.

“Cherries” by Barbara LaMorticella

***

Barbara very kindly allowed us to feature “Cherries” here on Words for the Year, and even included this little bit of backstory. As I know many of you are William Stafford fans (waves to James R. especially), I thought you would enjoy her note:

I’m happy you like Cherries!   You may be interested in the back story:   I began this poem after I got back from a workshop with William Stafford (his one-week summer workshop was 1/3 of my formal poetry education!) I wasn’t able to finish it for a while (lacking Stafford’s famous ability to write a poem a day by simply saying “welcome, welcome” to everything that comes). But the last line came to me the next summer,  and I thought of Stafford… at 80,  it would be heartening to realize that every cherry is a year of cherries!  I presented it to him the summer after the workshop at what may have been the last poetry reading he gave before he died.

 

 

7 thoughts on ““Cherries” by Barbara La Morticella”

    1. Hi Brian, so glad you enjoyed it too. I have been waiting patiently to share Barbara’s piece…I knew it had to wait for Summer, but it was so hard to be patient.
      Such crazy days out there…the sweet soulful moment of peace in her words is such a treat.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hola James, thought you’d enjoy Barbara’s poem! As soon as she mentioned Stafford and working with him very near his death, I thought of you and the photography session you’d mentioned. Stafford was near and dear to you both. ❤

      I'd be surprised if you hadn't crossed paths with Barbara at some point. She's an Oregonian and I believe she even hosts a radio show out there on KBOO:
      http://kboo.fm/program/talking-earth

      Thinking of running some of your favorites next week or two including Stafford and Bass. I'll wave again! Appreciate you, c-

      Like

  3. This is one of those pieces a writer wishes he/she would have written. I wish I would have written…I’ve certainly felt her thoughts when I gaze at the ambling daisies and I remember picking tart cherries with my grandma.
    I loved the backstory, too. xo

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Isn’t it a gorgeous poem, Mick? So personal, and yet the reader cannot help but place her own experiences into Barbara’s lines.

      I told someone on Twitter that I fell in love instantly with the poem…and the backstory was just the … CHERRY … on top. 🙂
      xo

      Liked by 1 person

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