Grasses and Dandelions (Why Not Both?)

What if you asked why
all front lawns should be only green
at minimum? Questioned

why even the hint of shape
of dandelion leaves are unwelcome?

What if you let that dandelion bloom?
What if you didn’t pinch off its head
because you were embarrassed

by its brazen color
announcing itself as something other
than the green surrounding it,
right in front of the neighbors?


What if you stopped pretending
nature could be forced
to betray its own wild
and grow in only one over-particular way?


What if instead of ripping out
everything that didn't look 
like your neighbor's yard,
you let what wanted to grow
just grow?





Liner Notes for This Groove: This poem was created for the Friday Writings prompt given at Poets and Storytellers United, Genuine Ink.
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29 comments:

  1. Magical Mystical TeacherJune 17, 2022 at 1:16 PM

    I'll take a bright dandelion over a boring front lawn any day!

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    Replies
    1. RommyJune 17, 2022 at 2:37 PM

      Interesting lawns sometimes come with interesting people!

      Delete
  2. colleenJune 17, 2022 at 1:49 PM

    Great questions. I have no one else's lawn to compare mine to! I don't mind it wild, and it is, but hate the mole tunnels everywhere.

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    Replies
    1. RommyJune 17, 2022 at 2:38 PM

      If we had a mole issue, my lazy dog Kit would take a keen interest in laying out front more often, instead of back where it's shady.

      Delete
  3. Magaly GuerreroJune 17, 2022 at 3:07 PM

    I want to run to my terrace and read this one at the top of my lungs! I completely support wild yards--Nature doesn't make mistakes. I also absolutely love, love, LOVE the message weaved in the lines.

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  4. Debra She Who SeeksJune 17, 2022 at 3:44 PM

    Right in front of the neighbours? NOOOOOOOOO!

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  5. Rosemary Nissen-WadeJune 17, 2022 at 5:53 PM

    Oh, I’m so with you! I love the dandelions, and hate having to mow them. I do have to because I live in a rented home and it’s a requirement. However I also know that the cost of keeping the dandelions would be the lawn growing LONG - long enough to offer a home to our deadly brown snakes!

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    Replies
    1. RommyJune 18, 2022 at 8:17 AM

      Thankfully we don't have anything as deadly hanging around here. An occasional garter snake maybe. I don't see too many voles either, especially since Kit likes chasing anything from the rodent family.

      Delete
  6. Gillena CoxJune 17, 2022 at 6:35 PM

    Pertinent questions. Well my lawn is wild right now.
    Just felt like leaving it like that for a while☺

    Much❤love

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  7. rallentandaJune 18, 2022 at 1:20 AM

    Bill Mollison the famous permaculturalist said that lawns are the cancer of the earth.

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    1. RommyJune 18, 2022 at 8:26 AM

      While I like laying in the grass sometimes, I do think it's ridiculous that lawns have this weirdly elevated status and we're all just supposed to aspire to have ones that look exactly the same as every other one.

      Delete
  8. Debi SwimJune 18, 2022 at 9:23 AM

    When I think how much money we spend to keep a pristine, green lawn... the time will come when we can't do it because water will be scarce or too expensive... my rebellion is that I try to plant flowers the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds love. (Rant over)

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    Replies
    1. RommyJune 24, 2022 at 9:00 AM

      I think the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are better judges than an HOA.

      Delete
  9. Su-sieee! MacJune 18, 2022 at 9:32 PM

    We’re back to drought time restrictions. It’s good to see more and more people replace their lawns with landscape that takes less water.

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    1. RommyJune 24, 2022 at 9:01 AM

      I'm sorry about the drought, but it's good that people are working with the land they have.

      Delete
  10. ThotpurgeJune 19, 2022 at 12:14 AM

    Raging against "expectations" and "social norms" is the undertone I get from the poem and I have the same vibe in the poem I posted on my blog yesterday too... vote dandelions!

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    Replies
    1. RommyJune 24, 2022 at 9:02 AM

      Yes, that's exactly what I was going for!

      Delete
  11. Khaya RonkainenJune 19, 2022 at 7:14 AM

    Why not both, indeed! I especially love the last stanza.

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  12. LoriJune 20, 2022 at 7:56 PM

    What if we also never had to betray our own wild. Stop worrying about what the neighbours think and just exist as we are. Really love this.

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  13. purplepeninportland.comJune 22, 2022 at 8:51 PM

    Love this, Rommy! Wild yards rule!

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  14. AnonymousJune 29, 2022 at 5:39 AM

    I like reading "what if" poems and writings, yours I'll call novel because of subject matter. Most places the "wild" front yards get called out, here I think a dandelion could stay.
    Plus,, I could read yours as a metaphorical poem, I myself enjoy being a misfit. What if all humans were alike?
    Thank you so very much for peeking in on me and for the nice comment you left.
    ..
    Jim,
    jimmiehov6.blogspot.com
    (Google hates me, I don't conform. I may conform after another near Sabatical and a new computer that stays pure.)
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  15. Laura MorriganJune 30, 2022 at 3:33 AM

    I have always loved dandelions! A lot of our back lawn has turned to dandelions now and I am very happy!

    ReplyDelete
  16. ✿July 1, 2022 at 1:01 PM

    Deep swallow.

    ReplyDelete

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