Back in the old days, people knew
how to recognize medicine on sight.
When a child brought tiny blue flowers
to her mother, the mother would say,
“Oh! Speedwells! Aren’t they sweet?
And did you know they make delicious tea
and that they will cure what ails you?”
And the child would lead the mother
to the patch where the speedwell grew,
and they would dig little clumps of it
with delight, the mother telling
all the ailments it was known to cure:
cough, rough breathing, hurting skin,
rheumatism, tummy aches and more.
And at home, they would brew some tea,
smiling as they slowly sipped it,
and some would go in a labeled bottle,
an elixir to soothe you and restore
you to health. And they would place
some of the little plants the child brought
in the garden, where the sight of them alone
was enough to brighten your day.