Clematis watching

I planted the original clematis vine a few years ago now.  It has gotten fuller and more covered with flowers every year.  Now its flowers last all summer and into the fall.  With such success I planted two new clematis in front two years ago.  One had one blossom last year, but 25 this year.  The other I thought had died.  It came back this year and has produced one lovely huge white blossom.  I*ll bet it*s irresistible to any pollinating insect.  With all of this life, I think I might learn to trust, even expect it.  It*s still a surprise every year how this life-thing works.

When a flower blooms early

I wonder

How the plant continues

To survive

In the cold

When insect life

Barely crawls

Much less flies.

When the sole blossom

On one clematis vine,

White and large and beautiful

With a tinge of pink

I forget its name

Stays open and ready

For days upon days,

The sole product of a vine

Which provided only leaves

Last year,

I wonder

How it can survive.

Of course

The vine on the pillar next to it

Has 25 blossoms

After only one bloom

Last year.

Clearly there is some process

I don*t understand.

The vine on the other side,

Soon enough to be covered

With purple,

Has taken over two porch columns

Several lengths of garden twine.

It has a given name but I call it

Purple Extravaganza.

I wind its tendrils around

Whatever I can find.

I wait for the assured enough flowers

Full purple

Soon enough.