pocket prairie
ecosystem composed of many species, including:
Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Ironweed (Veronia gigantea), Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), Black eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Grey headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis), Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Featured Poem:
Where to Find:
Stop by the east side of Jordan Hall of Science to see ND’s pocket prairie and butterfly garden.
Resident Expert:
Max Scheel is a PhD Candidate in Biology at ND.
mscheel2@nd.edu
community poems
PRAIRIE
HOW CALM IT LOOKS—
HOW QUIET—
HOW SLEEPY EVEN—
AS IN THE GRASS,
SHARP TEETH PLOT MURDER;
AS IN THE SKY,
A SLAUGHTERED GOD,
HER CORPSE IN DEATH-THROES,
SLEEPLESSLY SCHEMES HER REVENGE.
GRASS TOO SOFT
TO DREAM OF TOUCHING IT…
it’s a prairie dog
or some analog broken cog
dropped and flew, flew, flew
to heaven
Bergamot. Bergamot.
You smell so good.
What a wonderful smell.
So amidst you I stood.
Dropping from the skyline
Autumn leaves
All legs and neck—
magnificent in his
awkwardness
Joining thousands of others
preparing for an evening
in the wet woods
Until…
they find a jump-dance
partner
awkward feelings disposed
with the increment of
giant wings
together they roost
Interruption
rain comes and clears the bugs away
pretty quiet out here
but then the milkweed bug
pod tore open and
beetles! scattering over
hands and mud
seeds disperse
settling down and waiting
until next year
A little bee upon a flower
which grew up in an April shower
A butterfly prepares for flight
It floats away and out of sight
It’s a war out here.
Plants born from
Fire
Bugs from eating
Plants
Birds from eating
Bugs
That flower would look nice
Decapitated