I seek it here, I seek it there,
a natural forecaster of showers,
like a child’s drawing of red flowers,
a childhood memory to share.
I seek it here, I seek it there.
When I was young, I spent idle hours
observing tiny scarlet flowers
which seemed to grow most everywhere.
I seek it here, I seek it there.
This summer, perfumes overpower
as I wander in my garden, scour
each corner, but the pimpernel is rare.
I seek it here, I seek it there.
Kim M. Russell, 25th July 2024
Free image from Pixabay
This week, Grace is our host for Meet the Bar at the dVerse Poets Pub, and she has shared a form of popular lyrical verse from late 13th – 15th century Italy, the Ballata, which was originally set to music meant for joyful dancing.
Grace has provided some background to the ballata (plural: ballate), as well as its structure and rhyme scheme, and examples.
Our challenge is to write a poem using the ballata rhyme pattern. We may write three or more stanzas.
writing in north norfolk 
So that’s what a scarlet pimpernel is! I can see Dr. Seuss smiling over your poem, Kim.
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Thank you, Lisa! 😎
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You’re welcome ❤
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Kim, what a lovely scent for the garden if the flower is there. Thanks for the shared memory. And I never knew that it was a natural forecaster of showers. Love the nostalgia in your refrain.
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Thank you, Grace. When the flowers of the scarlet pimpernel close, it is going to rain.
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This is playful and also full of yearning for the flowers of our childhood Kim. I always look for Hare Bells.
I don’t want to make you jealous, but my allotment in Berkshire is covered in Scarlet Pimpernel this year…..
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Thank you Kim, and you have… made me jealous! I planted a lot of meadow flower seeds but they haven’t come up, which is so disappointing, However, David brought home an abandoned impatiens plant which I have been tending to recover, and it is glorious!
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“a natural forecaster of showers,
like a child’s drawing of red flowers,”
what a charming ode to this tiny wildflower – more often I see the blue version
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Thank you, Laura. I love simple flowers that can be easily drawn. My favourites are tulips, daisies and sunflowers.
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Wonderful poetry about what appears to be a fascinating flower. Most enjoyable… 🙂✌🏼🫶🏼
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Thank you, Rob.
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I didn’t know this – I will look out for them now …
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Ah, I had no idea the scarlet pimpernel was actually a flower—for some reason I always thought it was a bird! Nevertheless, I love the light and careful inquisition of your ballata, Kim; it really does capture the unending nature of “seeking” things from our earliest days.
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Thank you so much, Chris. Sadly, I haven’t found any yet.
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A pretty ode to a pretty little flower. Not exactly scarlet, more vermilion, softer than bright red.
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Thank you, Jane, They don’t seem to grow in Norfolk, but there were plenty in South London when I was growing up.
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There are lots in the grass (baked dry) in front of the windows. The flowers seem to close at night too.
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What a lovely ode to such pretty flowers, Kim! I did not know they are known as forecasters of showers.
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Thank you, Punam. Yes, the flowers close when rain’s on the way.
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How lovely! You are welcome, Kim.
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I read Orczy’s “Scarlet Pimpernel” when I was a kid and loved it; love how you use the refrain to such good effect to share your love of this tiny flower!
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Thank you, Dora!
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Your poem has a lovely sound. 🙂
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Thank you, Imelda.
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