Eden, Rising by M.J. Iuppa

Breathing deeply— scent of perfect
weather—unexpected flood of sun on

every blade of grass, on upturned rocks
in newly-plowed fields, on apple blossoms

bumping in fevered heartbeats— music
of drunken bees, dipping tongues in deep

pockets of nectar that only a chosen few
have tasted before pink petals blow away

like confetti into the restless wind— wishes
of health & happiness sealed in apple

buds swelling in silence as summer comes
on with long hours and ginger sunsets and

evenings that take their time to cool well
past midnight, well past sitting side by

side on this wooden porch where
we look at the orchard that has

always been our Eden, rising
in moonlight.



M.J. Iuppa’s fourth poetry collection is This Thirst (Kelsay Books, 2017). For the past 31 years, she has lived on a small farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Check out her blog: mjiuppa.blogspot.com for her musings on writing, sustainability & life’s stew.