Cacciatorepoetry.net » The Bitter Rind (1998)

The Bitter Rind

bitter-rind1

A tribute to the orange tree. I found it ironic that a tree that bears such sweet fruit is known to have the hardest wood. One of my absolute favorites.

Hail to thee, orange tree,
Unflapping in the Florid’ wind;
Thy trunk of stone the envy of,
Locust to persimmon.

From thy meat man has hewn,
Railway ties that bind,
And flexile bows tautly drawn,
By Chickasaws with closed eye.

Yet this wood petrified,
Is bearer of a pleasing brood,
When whitish, waxy flowers,
Mature on leafy shoots

And summer rays incubate,
Fragrant bulbs of citrus wine —
Navel flesh and pulpy blood,
Sweet until the bitter rind.