Impatiens glandulifera

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Tall plants with pink bloom sway in traffic breeze

As they colonize wet roadside ditches

Seem to fill ecological niches

A couple months before nature’s deep freeze.

After a quick u-turn to stop the car

To get a closer look at petal count and amount

I remain clueless as to what they are.

With digital pics we’re back on our way

He drives I dive in to field guide and keys

Eager to know this late summer display.

I expected to find the name with ease

But my assumptions led me stray

Fooled by sheer numbers and presence of bees.

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(A Byron’s Sonnet)