We have rhubarb in our backyard and it yields fruit through the summer. Kathy and I grew up where rhubarb was inexpensive and plentiful. It made great pies, jams, canned fruit, and was edible, with sugar, when eaten raw as it is tart.
It is interesting to note how, as we age, we notice things that seemed less relevant earlier. Larry Schug reminded me about rhubarb. I took this particular plant for granted as I grew up, but they create miracles as do other plants and animals in our world. Rhubarb provided an inexpensive dessert and snack that, as I recall, seemed available year round in some form.
When I reflect on nature, I see miracles and the ordinary is more powerful than when taken for granted. Nature is a great provider and takes care of human needs in ways that are not always readily evident unless I take time to see treasures provided.
By April, sour red stalks
push elephant-ear leaves
into near-earth atmosphere.
Rhubarb plans ahead,
years, decades even,
lives sustainably on the interest
of sunlight stored under ground,
having folded up its solar collectors
in September,
when the days grow too short
to make sugar.
See how simple is a miracle.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
I haven’t thought about dipping rhubarb in the sugar bowl in so very many years. Thank you for evoking such a lovely memory.
I had not either until I read this poem. It brought back some serious memories.
🙂
I love your poem, and the memories it stirred, as well as the deeper truth in it.
We just had our first rhubarb crisp last night, made from rhubarb from our garden. No matter how poorly the rest of the garden does, I know I can count on the rhubarb. It grew by the side of the garage when I was a kid. My mom used to boil it with sugar and water to make a kind of sauce that she poured over vanilla ice cream.
Thanks for a lovely post, Ivon.
Thank you for sharing Naomi. It seems that rhubarb has played a role in several lives. We will have to try the ice cream with sugar and water.
a joyful reminder of RHUBARB!
to calm and appease my mind
i will have to obtain and consume some soon 🙂
It will be ready in a few weeks.
Ivon didn’t mention that our particular rhubarb root is descended from a plant brought to Alberta by my great grandfather in the late 1800s. It is late growing this year with our delayed (cold!) spring. We share some with a neighbor who brings back wonderful baked rhubarb goodies!
Thank you Kathy for adding that little bit to the story.
I also grew up where rhubarb was plentiful. It isn’t one of my favorite fruits anymore. My hubby and I seemed to enjoy rhubarb dipped in sugar more when we were young children. 🙂
When I was growing up, the readiness and inexpensiveness of rhubarb probably made it a treat when we were allowed to dip it in sugar.
You are so right! It was so the norm, to dip it in sugar. How we change as we get older or maybe just get wiser. 🙂 I wouldn’t think of dipping it in sugar anymore. It really was a yummy treat when I was a little girl.
It is interesting how we change and how memories come back. I had been thinking about rhubarb and saw this poem.
Thank-you for waking up memories in
me as well. Lovely poem. 🙂 Renee