small scale economy – picking berries
~
~
small-scale economy
~
my box of berries spilled
on the footpath,
between leaves
of Kalmia and wintergreen
hawkweed and cow pies
~
the cousins, their boxes brimming,
stood gawking, dismayed,
I was certain they were thinking
dumb city girl, spilled her berries
box only half full anyway
~
instead, they gathered around me
sympathy in every hand
scooped most of the berries
into the box
added a few from nearby bushes
~
seventeen cents he paid me
half the value of a box at full
the cousins had picked a crate or more,
remembered the wasted berries, left on the trail
and wept at the loss
~
~
Published as: ‘small scale economy’, Canadian Stories 16 (94), December 2013/ January 2014
Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
nichepoetryandprose 
I love picking blueberries – my friend has a blueberry patch behind her house. It’s a race to get as many as possible picked before the birds get their share. Thanks for stirring up some pleasant memories, Jane!
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Barbara Rodgers
April 1, 2014 at 11:32 am
Hi Barbara. Any blueberry patch is a favorite of mine!!! Jane
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jane tims
April 1, 2014 at 3:42 pm
This brought me back to my first job, Jane. I spent a summer picking blueberries when I was nine years old. I earned $1.00 a crate, and it had to be heaping with berries. I thought I was rich at the end of each day when I got paid, and never really noticed how hard the work was because I was too busy eating my fill of berries as I picked each day. Thank you for the wonderful poem, and the reminder of a simpler time. 🙂
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Robin
March 24, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Hi Robin. I’m glad this poem brought back memories for you. I can still see those spilled berries, working their ways between the weeds and grasses, forever out of reach. I always ate more then I ever picked. Jane
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jane tims
March 25, 2014 at 5:51 pm
This is lovely. I too remember the angst over spilled berries and the loss of income because of it. A few pennies meant so much back then. This poem captures the emotions so well. Clear images, precise capture of those moments. Well done.
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Carol Steel
March 24, 2014 at 7:33 am
Hi Carol. Thanks so much. The poem is one of my series on memories of summers at my grandfather’s farm. When I started to explore this subject, I was amazed at how much I remembered. Jane
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jane tims
March 25, 2014 at 5:48 pm