Picking Near Baileys Harbor

If moonlight had an aroma,
it would be the scent of blackberries
night-black fruit dotted with crunchy seeds.

They yield best in the clearing
where the sun peers into the openings
blessing the brambles with inky fruit.

Thorns discourage all but the heartiest
pickers. Prickly canes catch my sleeves
and later I see droplets of blood.

Crushed, sugared for jam, most
seeds are still there, surrounded by this joyous juice.
The aroma explodes in the bubbling pot…

grapes and vanilla come to mind
with the gentleness of Beaujolais.