a pair of furled green

a pair of furled green 
umbrellas slowly open

their seven-lobed leaves

May Apples began emerging in March, pushing up through the litter of last year's leaves, sometimes pushing through a dead leaf, the strength of living sap pitted against brittle cellulose.

The new shoot looks like a furled green umbrella.

At the top of the umbrella, a pale green flower bud appears. At this stage plant with its unfurled leaves below the bud looks like a little wood gnome wrapped in a green cloak.

This one looks like a bald monk holding a robe up around his ears.

When fully open, each scalloped leaf has seven deep lobes.

In our sunny meadow, May Apples grow into a colony, like a plaza crowded with green parasols.