The self-sown tree grew just six inches outside
the farm front gate, produced sweet yellow cherry
plums, and jam quality fruit, late enough to pot with
last raspberries, or the gleanings off the boysens
One day passing Petersen boys climbed the tree,
took free with them, picked a belly full
but when discovered, we hounded them off!
Mum ordered them off as if we owned them.
Wild yellow plums were our poorman's cherries
ripe enough for stewing or jam conserve recipes
Mum would not have us seen to be craven
not even over a few wild yellow plums.
She strung us up ladders to strip plums our way
She would have us reap where she did not sow,
She picked up where she did not put down
like the Kingdom of Heaven was ours.
Afterwards, when we were too busy, it
was starlings would peck the plums down
And the few missed would ripen orange
And fall like gleanings for the worms.
28 November 1996 © Wayne David Knoll
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