If you see me with purple fingers
You will know I am feeling good,
'Cause I found wild huckleberries,
Ripe, and growing as they should.
Among the thickets of leafy green
Where the juiciest berries hide,
In an old-growth National Forest
High up on a mountainside.
Looking and tasting like blueberries,
Although smaller, and not as sweet,
Those nutrient-laden purple gems...
A lot of work, but quite a treat!
Into the hotcake batter for brunch
Is where some of them will go;
And the rest...maybe a coffee cake,
Or a preserve to spread on a roll.
So when my hands are darkly stained,
Just give me a nod, and a smile;
I will be tired, but very contented,
From picking berries for a while.
A.K. Garrigus
August 28, 2005
©