She can hardly get enough

of those purple clusters hanging from the vine.

I think of her as I walk our fenceline

lush with twining vetch, its sprays of purple

blossoms on lacy green vines –

invasive but beneficial. Beautiful; hard to mow.

Vetch gives early nectar for honey bees,

food for quail, wild turkey, rabbits.

It’s a nitrogen-fixer, good for the soil.

This year we have a bounty crop

on field and fence. It challenges my weed-eater,

winding wreaths and garlands

around the trimmer head. If only its clusters

of purple blossoms were grapes!

Taylor Graham