a moment of beautiful – Blue-eyed Grass
the space: the meadow above the lake
the beautiful: a bright blue flower – Blue-eyed Grass
All grass is not grass. In spring, some of those green blades reveal their true identity. You look down, and a blue eye stares back at you. You have found Blue-eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium montanum Greene.
Blue-eyed grass is not a grass at all, but a member of the iris family. It inhabits moist, open ground in fields and meadows, and blooms in late spring and early summer. The plant is low and slender, with a deep blue flower and a bright yellow center, borne at the top of a straight, usually unbranched, stem. The stem is two-edged, flattened on the margins. The flowers are borne in the axil of a sharp, upheld bract called a spathe. In French, the plant is called Bermudienne. Montanum means ‘of the mountains’.
~
~
Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium montanum Greene
~
I walk in grass,
but it isn’t grass –
Sisyrinchium
it winks at me
with azure eyes,
and I blink brown at them
~
Blue-eyed Grass
stands straight and still,
staunch Bermudienne
simple maid
with a watchful eye,
and a sword above her head
~
~
© Jane Tims 2012
nichepoetryandprose 
It’s good that you get to play with a native species of blue-eyed grass, too.
Thanks for the French name.
LikeLike
Steve Schwartzman
April 16, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Hi Steve. You are welcome. Jane
LikeLike
jane tims
April 16, 2013 at 8:38 pm
I just “discovered” Blue-Eyed Grass last year. It was probably here all along, but I never noticed it until I was outside walking the property every day for that outdoor challenge. It’s a beautiful little flower, and now one of my favorites. Wonderful poem. 🙂
LikeLike
Robin
September 23, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Hi Robin. Thanks. I love to discover the new plants growing right underfoot, so to speak! Jane
LikeLike
jane tims
September 27, 2012 at 11:05 pm
A nice verse! I’ve seen this in a certain area I hike in occasionally, its quite handsome and can be easy to miss.
LikeLike
Watching Seasons
September 21, 2012 at 8:32 am
Hi. Thanks. It blends in with the other greenery after the bloom is over. Nice to know it is also in your area. Jane
LikeLike
jane tims
September 27, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Beautiful poem, Jane. And yet another learning experience for me. I thought those were special
bulbs that the previous owners of our house planted on the steep, shade, unlandscaped hill by our garage!
LikeLike
Jane Fritz
September 20, 2012 at 5:52 pm
I’m not sure I’d even have noticed these little blue flowers because they’re so tiny. I’d love to go on a hike with you.
LikeLike
dearrosie
September 20, 2012 at 1:47 am
nice work -Ive been on the computer for over a week=sick-then the cable got messed up, I had 977 messages piled u, so obviously I wont be able to do a lot-still not well-rough week. Hope you are doing well–beebeesworld
LikeLike
beebeesworld
September 17, 2012 at 8:58 pm