My dear friend Catherine Johnson is up to some poetry hijinks today at her marvelous eponymous blog Catherine Johnson, Writer. We’re celebrating spring, fiddlehead ferns, and …frittatas?
Mother Nature’s tender tendrils
Push up through the forest floor.
Springtime spirals gyrate gently
Calling us to come explore.
Are they tiny violin necks?
Spring’s Vivaldi serenade.
Or tails of green chameleons
Doing handstands in the shade?
Like the bouncy curls of little girls
Beribboned, sweet and cute.
Or paper New Year’s blowout horns
Unfurling TOOT TOOT TOOT!
Yes, ferns just love to celebrate
All things glorious, green and new.
Until they wind up on your plate
In a frittata made for two.
I do hope that you pop over to Catherine’s blog where she’s gathered more fun fiddlehead fern frittata poems. (Say that five times fast!) Catherine’s tying them up with a bow as a gift to this lovely lady of the forest, Amy Ludwig Vanderwater. Amy’s beautiful book of poetry Forest Has A Song (Clarion, 2013) is an absolute must read, and her lovely blog The Poem Farm is a cozy place to curl up and enjoy reading and writing poetry.
Cathy Ballou Mealey 
Wha…what? Why am I the last to know of the fiddlehead fiesta? Boo!
But YAY for your delightful poem, Ms. Mealey! The idea of chameleons doing handstands in the shade is just about the best happy-making image I’ve read in a good long time. Brava!
We all know of your affection for things reptilian Ms. Lizard Lou! Glad you enjoyed the poem. Are there fiddleheads in Italia?
I’ll give you a shout next time, Renee 🙂
Oh goodie! There’s going to be a “next” time!
Let’s do Macbeth! We could show Renee’s video whiffle whaffle :0)
Yay for next times! What is whiffle whaffle, besides a fun thing to say? 😉
Cathy, I haven’t seen any fiddleheads, just like I haven’t seen any squirrels. Plenty of lizards though!
Fun, fun with ferns! My son just learned about fiddleheads in his science book, and so it’s neat to see in your and Catherine’s blogs. Didn’t know you could eat them…
I love knowing that your son is reading about fiddleheads as well! Yes, once or twice a year they can be a tasty treat.
I also love the chameleons and the bouncy curls of little girls. You had some fun, I can see! Well done!
Thank you Iza! You must have fiddleheads in your neck of the woods too?
What wondrous images you painted, my dear! Your poem is done with your usual perfection. Love your word choices and the rhymes. The chameleon handstands is my fave…very fun!
It was fun to collaborate on this group project with you Penny,
Hurrah for silly chameleons!
What a fun poem! I love the violin necks and handstand in the shade. And the idea of frittata!
You must tell us about the positive benefits of eating fiddleheads Sue! They must be chock full of nutrients with all that greeness?
Wonderful poem! Super images. Such fun. I’ve enjoyed being part of Catherine’s “fiddlehead” project and surprise for Amy Ludwig Vanderwater.
Oh I’m going to pop right over and read yours this very minute Freeda!
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That was fantastic. Who knew that a fiddlehead could be so inspiring?
Glad you enjoyed Mike. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures in Disney. Nary a (real) fiddlehead there I wager.
No, no fiddleheads. There was a robot bear that could play the fiddle, however.
Country Bear Jamboree?
Yep. Thems are some purty musical bears!
What a magnificent fiddlehead poem! Thank you so very much, Cathy! I am going to keep it and share it to help children understand metaphor too as these are simply spot-on and surprising too. (Pinning now.) I was completely honored by this party today. Thank you! Fiddleheads all around! xo, a.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the celebration Amy! So much fun to be a part of a poem party. 🙂
This is really a beautiful fiddlehead poem Cathy! I love the violin necks and Vivaldi’s serenade. I love all of your images.
Ah yes, your love of the symphony! I tried so hard to work “Primavera” into the poem but it was too many syllables with “Vivaldi”! I did have it playing in the background as I wrote however. 🙂
Boy can you write poetry, Cathy! You always blow me out of the water with your word choice and rhythm. This one is no exception – just wonderful! 🙂
Thank you Susanna – you are very sweet! An extra slice of fiddlehead frittata for you…
Eggsellent! Your poem is as zingy and zesty as the dish – without the calories!
🙂 I’d need a side of bacon with that frittata – there go more calories!
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LOVE that poem! 😀
Thanks Erik I know that Amy’s book inspired YOU to write your wonderful “Ripples” haiku. Love the bugs in a wave pool!
LOVE your poem — what fresh and surprising images! What fun! Beautifully lyrical and a joy to read. . . now I’m curious about what fiddleheads taste like :).
I’m glad you like the poem Jama. 🙂 To me, fiddleheads taste like a spinachy-asparagus and I apply salt and butter liberally. My dad puts vinegar on them. 😛
Thank you for hosting PF today!
I love the chameleons doing handstands too. Would you believe I spent the last three days walking in the woods looking for furled fern leaves?
I believe it Liz! Most of our fiddleheads have opened here now, but it’s been wet and muggy. Glad you enjoyed the chameleon idea.
I love it! You had me at your fernalicious title. I especially love how you connected the fiddleheads to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and later they became New Year’s horns.
Oh Karin – do you hear the music of the forest too?
There was a vigorous, voracious woodpecker rat-a-tat-tatting on our last forest walk. It became a bit monotonous!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Precious poem. Enjoyed the rhyme and rhythm and learning about fiddleheads. Not so sure I’d like to eat one, but I once said that about sushi.
I said that about sushi too Margaret! Here, please enjoy a spicy tuna roll.
Thank you for coming by and commenting!
Amazing poem, Cathy! My favorite line is:
“Or paper New Year’s blowout horns
Unfurling TOOT TOOT TOOT!”
Concrete sensory details throughout make it a fun read! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Bridget! I was Googling madly trying to find out if there is an actual name for those things besides “blowout horns.” Nope!
I saw some fiddleheads while I was driving the other day and thought how lovely they were, but never would have come up with all your wonderful images! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I’m trying to imagine a forest with enough ferns so that you could harvest a pound of fiddleheads and still have ferns left over! (Or does the fern still grow after you take its curly top?) My ferns in the front flower bed have long been unfurled, so they have nothing to worry about…this spring…
How lucky you are to have ferns in your front flower bed! In the forest they seem prolific, so no danger of harming them through careful harvest. I love to peek underneath and look at the tiny brown spores spots later in the season!
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How did I miss this food for soul and stomach!?
We’ve saved frittata for you Joanna. The kettle’s always on anytime you come by!
I know I’m late to this fernalicious fiesta, but I heard about the handstanding chameleons and just had to come see for myself. Oh yes… most definitely worth the trip!
Delighted to have you here Michelle! Now, have you happened to see my keys anywhere? 😉
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