As well as running Gower Lavender, our founder Rae Howells is also a published poet. Here she shares a poem, Rising from stars, from her poetry collection, The language of bees. The poem gives a glimpse into a day in the life of a lavender plant.
Rising through stars
6am lavender flower rising through stars notices a fox
nodding as it passes recognising the earth
willing itself up from soil
10am lavender beeflower tickled by the haired feet
of a red-tail bumble supping sugar water from the little
sucking mouths of buds gratifying itcher
11.30am lavender swaying in the kissing breeze
little alarmed spear
waves and swings in the pursed wind spilling grains
2pm spikeflower opening a bud unlatching petal lips
pushing from within forcing another purple flower
one more little mouth open coaxing nectar come on open
8pm little purple lavender poor thing
been too long unrained on
taproot drilling earth seeking cloud scat thirsting yellowed out
midnight black lavender in satin light breathing out spice
bruise smitten ant saunters glittering up the stem
pausing at the leaf joints to drink
6am lavender rising through stars
colled by the warm clouds fleeting across the moon
letting dust drift willing itself up from soil notices a fox
From The language of bees, 2022. Copyright: Rae Howells