Scotty Davis Watson Prize
Ruth Nicholson, “When Shrimp Plants Last near the Carport Bloomed”
Honorable Mentions:
Debra Conner, Lisa Sloan, Mary O'Keefe Brady, & Albert Black
Judge’s Comment:
With cinematic verve, a morning moment one could easily neglect until sunlight at a precise angle calls us back to the things of the world.
When Shrimp Plants Last near the Carport Bloomed
My shrimp plants flaunted ruby tubes
of nectar-bearing flowers, fed summer’s
hummers, butterflies, and bees—
stood tall through weeks of unrelenting
heat, dared killing frost to come
and burn them black.
One morning I noticed a red streak
on the carport floor, guessed blood
from some feral cat’s unlucky prey.
As I bent to look more closely,
the red stain rose to my outstretched arm,
making me sole witness
to a perfect pairing, stained-glass style,
between the rising sun
and one translucent bloom.
O prodigal Nature, choosing angles,
plotting art—ever keen to dazzle twice.