Cuyahoga April Rush of Violets

 

Cuyahoga April sings
violet blooms’ exhales,
engorged dotted chords
of a sundry orchestra—

Spring beauty, phlox,
primrose-leaved,
pinwheel-shaped,
common dog violet—

Greater stitchwort,
bugle, bluebell,
dame’s rocket,
Viola primulifolia—

Leconte’s violet,
blue marsh violet,
wild pansy,
purple cress—

O how many
nymphettes, sprites—
floral maidens, brides
have been hidden

in this valley all this time
where a cardinal’s red
fluttering accent—

gives the woods
in Cuyahoga Park
a moving, fair
signature patch—

as all those little blue
and violet musicians
make a well-honed path
to the violet iris hoods

yet higher still—
when warm May comes,
enfolding violet dots
in iris hoods,
the glories of one’s eyes—