June Berries and the Quilt

WE'LL SEE

Karen returns from walking

the neighborhood. Our modest development

with its yard sale. It's Saturday.

I'm picking June berries, asking robins

for just enough berries to put on a bowl

of vanilla ice cream tonight. Karen

says her niece has several

hand-made baby quilts for sale.

We used to pick June Berries

in North Dakota. Tasker's Coulee.

I never knew who Tasker was.

That's how I know about coulees.

Us kids, we ran up and down

animal trails. Our mom's carried

kettles from the kitchen picking berries.

Did you see your quilt on the lawn?

No, but I didn't look that closely.

Well, she's the one in our family

who knows how to clean house.

That's why you sew that story block

on the back. June Berries grew wild

in Dakotas and Canada.

Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara,

Three Federated Tribes prized

theses berries. Trees sold now

in upscale nurseries for white blossoms,

reading Serviceberry. Two things

going on here, as I see it.

Those nurseries selling trees

not knowing their histories--

June berry's sweeter than blueberry--

and my niece with those quilts

on her sale rack. I have a ball game

to get to. My grandson plays at noon.

I don't have enough berries in this bowl.

Not for a single scoop. No clock

in baseball and robins have put out the word.

Jim Bodeen

8 June 2019