In Praise of the Dandelion

 
  
Put down your hoe and knife      
Take up the lute and sing      
Taraxicum  officinale  !      
Penny-round, shining everywhere      
Loyal despite our scorn.  
    
I walk the lanes and city streets,      
See golden flowers everywhere,      
Long stems in country lanes,      
No taller than the grass      
Waving in the breeze.    
    
Short in tarmac pavement      
Changeless flower      
None to spoil the golden head      
No orange lips,as with the daffodil      
No silly names like "Chorus Girl"      
On plastic packets in the shop    
    
Wild-child of nature,    
Taraxacum for ever.      
Composite and penny-round      
Perfect in the rain      
Golden now and ever.  
      
Sportsmen with their clubs and bats,      
Studded boots and stinking vests      
Blame you for the errant ball      
And blackened eye.      
 
As children home from school      
We blew away your time,      
Destroyed that perfect symmetry,      
Scorned to take it home to Mum      
For fear you wet the bed.      
      
Cut the stem, it makes a whistle,      
Take a root and you have coffee,      
Suck the honey from the flower      
Rosette leaves in salad      
Antidote for excess of port.      
      
Today it shines for us,      
yellow,gold, and willing,      
friendly with the daisy      
close as salt and pepper.