Observing the Young Gleaner

Bright squares of sunlight 
bounce around on her face and chest

and the breeze plays happily with
her floppy straw hat.

Shimmying her summer frock,
the wind whispers a

constant ‘shhhhhhhhhh’
loosens her bundle of

picked wild
flowers. Pinks, yellow, reds
scent her skip home,

tickle her nose.
She stops to catch two butterflies 

flirting with her joy.
Sand from the beach path 
slips through her bare toes

warm and free.

“the myth of bourgeois pleasure”

complete for anyone 
who sees Her.



Inspired by The Butterflies by Paul Peel, quote from Prologue: Canada and World Impressionism : Adam Gopnik