Rosellas

Poetry Month, day 12

Rosellas

She is harvesting from her garden

rosella fruits – red, like the birds, 

though without their patches of blue –

for syrup, sauce and jam. “Good

for the immune system,” she says,

“and healthy bones. Nature

gives us everything we need.”

Rosella (the bird) is my totem,

I was told by a knowing woman

long ago. Up on Pinnacle Road 

years past, they crammed the trees,

flashes of moving crimson. Lately 

I'm seeing them everywhere again, 

but now they appear in pictures.

A message for my inner knowing

from the bounteous Universe?

“Pay attention! Here's something

good for you!” And my friend is cooking

rosella fruits, that guard against

winter coughs. We arrange

a bit of barter for some of her sauce.

At "imaginary garden with real toads" we were invited to be inspired by Costa Rica Photos. A photo of some fiery macaws reminded me of our Australian rosellas. This photo of a rosella is free via Creative Commons CCo. The top photo is © Tan Summerell 2018, from her facebook post, which also inspired this poem.