A poem and an Australian native plant photo.
The Bluffer
Is a nondescript plant unworthy of the lingering gaze?
Must the ugly duckling metamorphise
into that beautiful swan? Does a light shine
with none to see it, invisible when eyes are closed?
The winter woodland keeps its secrets. Echo
chambers climb from forest floor until – tendril –
summer’s fertile heat provides the desiccant,
the bluffer and ephemera of nature’s final call.
I read a recent disparaging comment about the lovely Australian native climber, Clematis microphylla. Perhaps you are yet to discover it or if you have, perhaps you have been underwhelmed? Be patient, dear Readers, and look again.
Kind Regards.
Tracy.
Reflections of An Untidy Mind 
Thought provoking poem & beautiful capture. It really reminds me to slow judgement & take time to appreciate the beauty. My temper tends to be short, as does my irritation with things/people around me. I will try to slow it down and maybe I will be less prone to aggravation.
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You are not alone in that, Ju-Lyn. It is easy to overlook less flashy plants and this clematis is mostly found in woodland off the beaten track. Definitely worth slowing down though. Slow is my only speed. 🙂
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Any speed is movement. Any movement is life-giving ❤️
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I don’t know this clematis of course, but this photo captures a beautiful plant, and one which your poetry encourages me to linger over.
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That is very kind of you to say that, Margaret. It was a very grey day. It is amazing what pops out when you adjust the camera exposure. 🙂
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Isn’t nature a wonderful thing and so is your poetry. Thanks for sharing, Tracy.
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Thank you, Suzanne. I appreciate your kind words and encouragement.
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Your photo is proof of the reward for slowing down and looking closely at what at first glance is nothing special. These lines from your poem resonated very strongly with me. They’re important questions:
Is a nondescript plant unworthy of the lingering gaze?
Must the ugly duckling metamorphise
into that beautiful swan?
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Thank you, Liz. I recently found myself falling into the trap of judging a plant by irs cover so I gave myself a stern lecture and as the admonishment was fresh in my mind those lines found their way into the verse.
How are you going? Any sign of spring yet?
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Life around here is going well. I’m starting to hear a lone bird singing every now and again, which is an early harbinger of spring. We’ve also had quite a bit of snow meltage this week.
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And longer days are also a treat. That is what I most love about summer.
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Yes, they are! The longer days give a feeling a unlimited possibility.
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A lovely poem Tracy. A lot of clematis have wonderful seed heads and this one reminds me of our native Clematis otherwise known as Traveller’s Joy or Old Man’s Beard. Easily spotted in the hedgerows at this time of year. You might like my similar photo of it.
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Hi Jude, Sorry for the delay in responding. I had to do some research! Is your clematis “Clematis vitalba”? It is running amok in NZ, isn’t it? It is a significant emerging weed in the Australian states of Tasmania and Victoria too. I couldn’t find any reports of it in Canberra. Our native Clematis aristata and microphylla are both called Old Man’s Beard as well. We seem to many of the northern hemisphere names. I have seen Clematis microphylla flowering in winter in cold Canberra! Thanks for your link. I enjoyed reading your post and then finding out more about your native clematis. The fluffy seedheads look very similar.
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Yes, that’s the one. It can be invasive here too, but does provide food to lots of wildlife. And the tiny flowers are also scented.
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It is very beautiful too.
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Clematis in seed is a thing of wonder. I’m so glad you captured it, Tracy. I’d have stopped for a photo, too. It’s beautiful.
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It was a bright spot on a gloomy day, Lois. 🙂
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I love this, Tracy. What an amazing flower.
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That was the seed, Martha! It is certainly impressive.
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Those blooms remind me of ostrich feathers!
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Those are the seeds, Dries, and yes, they are like ostrich feathers. I will remember that next time I write a poem about them. 🙂
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Looks beautiful to me!
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It was a sight to behold, Ann. 🙂
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