“Lupines”

Last week we published the last poem for Heron Tree 5, and this week we’d like to thank Matthew Burns, who joined us as an editor for the volume. We’re grateful that he was willing to share his time and insights with us over the past year, and we’d like to take this opportunity to share his poem “Lupines” with you. It begins:

Is it “lupine,” like the tree—
the spruce and fir; Scots,
mountain, and eastern white:
green spires that run into the winter
night and hold; or is it “lupeen”:
like a hammer of flower
not pounding but steady tapping:
[continue reading]

“A Burning” by Matthew Burns was published by Heron Tree in 2016; you can read or re-read it here.