ode to the blackberry





we had a beautiful, sun-filled day full of work and play in my parents' garden yesterday (my dad and i built a playkitchen, more on that next week!) towards the evening, i picked another bowl of blackberries, while the sky grew darker and darker and thunder could be heard from afar. i felt so inspired that i sat down right there and wrote a few lines about my love of blackberries in my mother's garden. later in the evening, when all the family gathered and we had to move inside because the sky was black and endless lightings announced the impending, massive thunderstorm, i began to search frantically for the 4 little scraps of paper on which i had scribbled my little poem. but they were nowhere to be found. i ran outside into the garden to see if they had somehow fallen out of my pocket, but by then it was raining so hard and the wind was so strong that they would have blown away or at least have been drenched, the pencilled lines having become illegible. i had a strong sense of loss, the poem reflected so much of what i had felt that day and i knew i wouldn't be able to reproduce it. hours later, when we were back in our apartment, i got changed. i had rolled up the legs of my jeans in the morning. and out of that fold in my jeans fell a little bundle of paper - it had been safe all along.

so, after this long introduction, here is my ode to the blackberry. followed by some more photos i took during the past weeks and years...


ode to the blackberry
you are a promise -
a promise that is kept
each year, each summer
a promise of bare feet on grass
of kness black with sand
of hands dyed red with juice

you are a promise
of memories returning each year
of memories heavy with smell, taste and touch
you are a promise of memories coming alive
while others fade and fade

you are a promise
of goodness passed on, from mother to daughter
grandmother to grandson
of goodness passed on, and tastebuds enticed
every year

you are a promise
of summer on a winter's day
when jars are opened with a click
and memories return yet again
you are a promise
of a cycle still intact on a small patch of earth

you are a promise
of a perfect moment
- from the hedge
into the hand
into the mouth
in mother's garden
perfect in every way












9 comments:

simona said...

i miss mama's blackberries. and the blackberry cake she makes, especially 2 or three days later when it starts getting soggy... mmm!

amanda {the habit of being} said...

mmm....lucky you with a blackberry bush! enjoy some for me :)

rex said...

How lovely, we have a blackberry bush that lives in the middle of our paddock and we have to trek through another paddock to get there, but its all well worth it each and every year.......

I always think maybe I can make a painting from its beautiful juice!

Anonymous said...

I really do miss homemade blackberry jam, and long gone are the days where I could find some plated in the garden somewhere, I live in cement city and on top of that Japan where you would have to sell an arm to get them fresh. So sorry I've missed so many of your posts, I'm finally able to sit back and catch up = )

Katie said...

Nommm blackberries are delicious! Love the ode! xo

sara tardiff said...

they look so delicious! you should definitely look up a recipe for blackberry shortcake, it's so good and refreshing for a dessert


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monica said...

I love your ode…
Brings back such memories of growing up where blackberries grew! I've been missing berry season every summer since we've moved to Hawaii (Not that I'm complaining…:))
Thanks!

Stephanie said...

Thanks so much for the great comments! I'm your newest follower!

Your blackberries look delicious and your pictures made me hungry : )

Ashley said...

your pictures are amazing. I would love you to link up at Tell me Tuesday!!!
thanks
ash

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