Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Second-guessing summer: must be September

Dogwoods are blushing.
Sassafras is flashing some orange.
They say this is the best time to prepare filé.
Out there, somewhere, wild scuppernongs are ripening,
in advance of the purple muscadines.
Pokeweed's looking a bit raggedy, and  our mockingbirds, catbirds
and other songbirds are happy to dispatch the ripe fruit.
And American beautyberries are beginning their annual show.
The berries are persistent and remain available to birds even in winter.
But it's all unofficial until September 22 and the equinox.