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Nachusa Grasslands

A Seed on the Wind

1/22/2017

6 Comments

 
Picture
Common milkweed seeds (Asclepias syriaca)
A seed on the wind as it travels alone,
does it feel isolation as it looks for a home?
The breeze carries it aloft and sometimes quite high,
will it land in a spot that is wet or quite dry?

Will the conditions it lands in meet all of its needs,
or would its chances have been better on an easterly breeze?
Of seeds born to the wind there must be many,
so at least a few make it to the land of seed plenty.

Picture
Frosty plants
Where a cycle of freeze and thaw is step one,
for the seed to sprout it will need good soil and sun.
Bright orange flames of fire flicker on thatch,
to soon leave the prairie a charcoal black patch.
Picture
Down came the rain, it fell all around,
it loosened the soil and moistened the ground.
Forbs and grasses of green cover the black,
this seed found a home where the cover does lack.
Picture
Grazing the grass fills bison need, 
​allows warmth and the sun down to this little seed.
​From that seed emerged a tiny green shoot,
that soon put down a nice little root.


The bison that graze the grasses down low,
add nutrients and microbes that help the plant grow.

In the place where this little seed did land,
a plant of its species does now stand.

Picture
A prairie plant emerges in the spring.
The new root has grown and is now very deep,
so that this plant can survive a long winters sleep.
In the spring, the plant will grow to be tall,
it will flower this summer, and set seed in the fall.

When the fall breeze blows, the seed will take to the air,
hoping to land on good ground that is bare.
Where can one find this wondrous glory?
​At a place called Nachusa, that inspired this story!
Picture
Milkweed in bloom (the pink globe–shaped blossoms).
This poem was written by Paul Swanson, a volunteer at Nachusa Grasslands.
​Photos courtesy of Dee Hudson and Charles Larry.
6 Comments
Jeff Cologna
1/23/2017 12:44:40 pm

This was a beautiful post. Thank you for inspiring me!

Reply
Paul Swanson
1/23/2017 10:19:54 pm

Jeff, the same could be said for you. As I finished the poem the thought occurred to me that I would have never written it if it weren't for the blog. Thank you for the opportunity to explore new endeavors.

Reply
Eriko Kojima
1/26/2017 10:54:21 am

How beautiful the words and pictures. I imagined myself a tiny seed on a journey, and adventure, growing into a plant deeply rooted upon the prairie

Reply
Paul swanson
1/26/2017 03:53:38 pm

Thanks Eriko, Somme Prairie Grove like Nachusa must be a good place for a seed to land. It's been just over a year since you "blew in" and I'd say your roots in restoration work have grown faster and deeper then most. Your energy, your effort, and your kindness are inspiring. Thanks for all you do!

Reply
Amy McManus
1/31/2017 03:35:44 pm

Very nice, Paul!

Reply
Paul Swanson
2/2/2017 05:49:32 pm

Thanks, Amy!

Reply

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    Blog Coordinator

    Dee Hudson
    I am a nature photographer, a freelance graphic designer, and steward at Nachusa's Thelma Carpenter Prairie. I have taken photos for Nachusa since 2012.

    Editor

    James Higby
    I have been a high school French teacher, registered piano technician, and librarian. In retirement I am a volunteer historian at Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society. 

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  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission, Leadership, Objectives, and Financials
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2022
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Stewardship Teams
    • Workday Email List
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2023
      • Science Grants 2022
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium 2023
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
    • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • Teacher Resources
    • K-2nd grades
    • 3rd-5th grades
    • 6th-8th grades
    • High School
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
      • Visitor Photos
    • Submit Your Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs