Yellow Goat’s-Beard (Marshall Witten)

Yellow Goat’s-Beard (Marshall Witten)

“Tragopogon pratensis [he-goat bearded in the field]…flowers close at midday..”  Wildflowers by Roger Tory Peterson

In the meadow, regiment strong, Yellow-Goat’s Beard
stand for morning reveille, each one  
facing the Sun, brightly bearded soldiers
on review, but sound asleep by two, adrift
in reverie from last nights revelry.

How sweet your name tastes on the tongue in Greek:
Tragopogon.   I imagine you
as bearded Pan with flute carousing through
the night with Daisy and Black Eyed Susan while
Sweet William’s pogonotomy leaves him
a naked wallflower alone in the field.

I admire your ability to rise at dawn
to answer the bugle’s demanding call, but what
if you’re summoned to duty after two?