first-degree relics are blood and bone
second-degree were used in life
third-degree were touched by first
and then there is this earth
that brings me to my knees
___________
Minor poem. Minor day. Up and around again. Finished one article (600 words on periodic cicadas) and started another (200 words on Sedna, our newest planet). Went to the garden center and thought about renaming Otter "Thrift." The name grows on me. The names of her known family members are Alder and Willow. I want another plant that's hard to control. And also a name with some scope for sorrow, which is what's wrong with "Otter." Did no work on Otter, though. Planted stonecrop and snapdragons.
Names: Rue, Yarrow.
Hard-to-control plants: bindweed, grandmother's bluebells, violets
"Yarrow" is kind of cool. "Rue" and "Bindweed" a bit too on the nose.
You don't like thrift?