Ode to a Green Poinsettia

I was looking through some old files and I found a wonderfully appropriate poem for this time of year. I must have scanned it years ago, so I apologize to the author, whom I can not locate, if I spelled your name wrong.

 

ODE TO A GREEN POINSETTIA

by:

Mari Alyce Loguidice,

Horticulture Assistant, Schenectady Co., NY

,Twas a week before Christmas

And I looked down in dread

At my year old poinsettia

With no sign of red

The book said it was simple

To bring Christmas cheer

By saving poinsettias

year after year

I decided to try it

I would get right down to it

I'd feel so creative

The new Martha Stewart

My Holiday guests

would say as eyes gleam

"your plant is so red,

and your thumbs are so green."

The trick, the book said,

Is all in the light

For 15 hours a day

Just simulate night

And gradually‑yes, it said

Your year old poinsettia

Will turn vibrantly red

I pondered my schedule

With a pen and some paper

To figure a way

To pull off this caper

I would rush home from work

So I could deposit

My year old poinsettia

into the closet

At 8 every morning

Oh‑this will be fun

I'll bring my poinsettia

Out In the sun

I became quite a slave

To my plant and my plight

But I desperately wanted

To get it just right.

There were a few mishaps

In the 10 weeks it took

To give my poinsettia

That new Christmas look

Like the few times

We went away overnight

And left the poinsettia

Out in the light

Or the time in the closet

It got a bit battered

By someone’s big parka

But none of this mattered

For I had a mission

Oh what a thrill

I would make this plant flower

By sheer force of will

But obviously something

Went wrong with the scene

For here's my poinsettia

Still hopelessly green

Yet I won't lot this dampen

My bright Christmas spirit

But don't mention poinsettias

'Cause I don't want to hear it

Source: GroNews, Nov/Dec ‘96