As a child I collected treasure on walks —
sea glass, acorns, driftwood, shells.
My mother honored my discoveries by creating
small tableaus throughout the house —
a woodland scene on the mantle,
a beach scattering on the kitchen counter.
Today on my walk
I found a large pine cone
nestled in a bed of pine needles.
Even though my hands were full,
two rambunctious pups on leashes,
I stopped to scoop up this find
and carry it two miles home.
Pine cones have one primary job —
encase pine tree seeds
in a fortress of woody leaves to protect
them from winter and wild animals.
It takes nearly three years for a pine cone to mature.
Yet, once the pine cone falls,
it opens its stiff scales,
allowing the gentle seeds to move on.
My abandoned pine cone, a parent and vessel,
now sits on the mantle so we can honor
its role in replenishing the earth.
A Reading Life 
I learned something new that it takes a pine cone three years to mature. Nature is so amazing, and you captured it in this piece. I also liked this sentence that showed instead of told: “Even though my hands were full, two rambunctious pups on leashes, I stopped to scoop up this find and carry it two miles home.”
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This is a beautiful post. I love nature, it is often my muse. You have taught me a new way to look at pinecones. I will definitely be “honoring” my treasures from now on.
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So many reflective lines packed in this concise piece, no word or phrase wasted. I love the peek into your childhood, the lesson about pine cones, and how you honor nature “a parent and vessel.” Truly lovely.
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What a sweet memory of your mom “honoring” your naturalist spirit. It reminds me to encourage myself (and maybe my students) to make space for appreciating nature in our iPad-filleddays…
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A parent and a vessel – I love it! I love both the cadence of your piece and the topic. Thank you for both. A beautiful slice.
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So lovely! “Found” poetry in nature–you masterfully capture the significance of an overlooked prickly thing of wonder. Your poem made me zoom in on the pinecone’s structure and celebrate its dual purpose: “a parent and vessel.”
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