Parasols

I saw a glorious copse of Wild Parsnip in bloom and their intricate clusters of tiny, yellow blossoms looked remarkably like the delicate lace parasols used by women of the Victorian Era. Far more than mere sun protection, they were vital, class-signaling, snobbish, fashion accessories.

Parasols

A copse of gold along the lane,
Defying clouds and summer rain,
The Wild Parsnip stands proud and high,
Beneath the sparkling, sunlit sky.

Like ladies from a vanished age,
Out of a Victorian page,
They lift their yellow lace on high,
To shade them from the brilliant sky.

With haughty tilt and snobbish grace,
They flaunt their filigree gold lace,
As if to say, “We rule this town—
Don’t touch the upper-crusty crown!”

No silk or thread from London town,
Could match this wild and radiant crown,
A field of parasols, so grand,
Bloomed bright across the summer land.

‘Til next time, y’all…