“The beauty of the natural world lies in the details.”
~ Natalie Angier ~
Today is Earth Day. I wanted to write a poem specifically to commemorate that, but trying to write a poem about the whole Earth overwhelmed me. Then I remembered this photo from an Arizona Highways desk calendar. The beauty is in the details.
Cradled like newly hatched
crocodiles,
desertbell vines
run rampant
through the jaws of an agave,
weaving their blossoms
between its toothy thorns.
© Catherine Flynn, 2016
Please be sure to visit Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Your poems are consistently fabulous–I’m still lingering over your recent “Who are you?” bird poem (rereading it and loving each line) and then you created this beauty. My favorite poems nudge me to see the world in new ways and this poem is a perfect example of that. Wow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve actually seen newly hatched alligators and they are cute! What an amazing image you have captured with your words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a perfect poem to celebrate our beautiful and diverse earth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Earth Day! Yes, the beauty is definitely in the details. Love the contrast in your poem between the delicate blossoms and the toothy thorns. “Newly hatched crocodiles” is brilliant too :).
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lot of beauty can be found between the thorns if we only look, right? I’m glad you focused on the little things, Catherine. Lovely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, for sure they’re toothy crocodile jaws! Lovely poem, Catherine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve captured it perfectly. I love the image of flowering vines running rampant through toothy jaws.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The details. Yes.
Last week, I set my sights on a big idea, but yesterday realized that it was a small, everyday detail that would bring the most long lasting happiness. It felt good to bring my eyes down from a very short-term WOW and see the difference it makes to focus on ordinary happiness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this image — I want to share this with students — great example of seeing an object with poet eyes. Happy Earth Day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a wonderful poem with a beautiful image. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser for #SpringsSeeds Gallery. (I created a Twitter hashtag as a repository.) Will you please offer this image poem, Catherine?
LikeLiked by 1 person