HAVE YOU EVER TOOK A WALK
ACROSS A FIELD ON A FALL DAY,
WATCHED A LITTLE CLUSTER OF SEEDS
THEY SWIFTLY SAIL IN THE BREEZE FLYING AWAY.

THE LITTLE SEEDS HAVE WINGS
THAT CARRIES THEM WITHOUT A SOUND,
THE WIND LIFTS THEM AND THEY RISE INTO THE SKY
AS THEY DIP AND SWIRL AROUND AND AROUND.

THE WINGS ARE SOFT AND DELICATE
ATTACHED TO A TINY SEED,
THEY ARE CREAMY WHITE IN COLOR
AND THE SEED LOOKS LIKE A SMALL BLACK BEAD.

THESE LITTLE "SAILORS"
LEFT THEIR MOTHER ONE DAY WITHOUT A NOD,
THEY HAD GROWN ALL SUMMER HANGING ON A VINE
TUCKED INSIDE A FAT LITTLE MILK POD.

TO POP OPEN THIS DRYING POD
RELEASE THE SILKY FIBERS TO SOAR AWAY,
THEY ARE FUN TO WATCH SAILING THROUGH THE AIR
BRIGHT LIGHT SHIMMERS ON THEIR WINGS ON A SUNNY DAY.

THEY MUST TRAVEL A GREAT DISTANCE
FIND A NEW HOME FAR AWAY,
TO SPOUT AND GROW A NEW VINE
ONCE SPRING HAS ARRIVED IN EARLY MAY.

THE PODS ARE LONG TAPERED AND HARD
THERE IS A HOLLOW NEST INSIDE,
ONCE THE HUNDREDS OF TINY LITTLE SEEDS
HAVE BLOWN AWAY - FINDING A SECRET PLACE TO HIDE.

THE BEST PLACE TO FIND THESE NICE PODS
IS ON AN OLD COUNTRY LANE,
AMONG MORNING GLORIES THEY GROW
THEY ALL END UP BROWN AND LOOKING THE SAME.

THE LITTLE BLOSSOMS ATTRACTED BEES IN THE SPRING
HIDDEN IN THE SHADE ON AN OLD FENCE,
THEY'LL GROW THERE ALL SUMMER
AMONG THE GREEN LEAVES - IT IS QUITE DENSE.

THE PODS CAN BE SAVED AND SPRAYED FOR AN ARRANGEMENT
LET THE FRAGILE SEEDS ESCAPE AND FLOAT AWAY,
THEY'LL LIFT IN A WARM BREEZE LIKE A BUTTERFLY
THEY'LL BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY DANCING IN EARLY MORNING SUN-RAY.


Written ........... November 29, 2008
I have always hunted for these long hard brown milk pods in the
warm days of late fall. Marveling how all these delicate little
seeds are tucked inside, just waiting for the pod to crack open
and they escape to float and sail through the air - often going
some distance before they come back down to land on some loose
soil to take root next year.

.