that might be cultivated   from the Crab

named them in English   and Latin

a man who possessed   a walker’s appetite

filling his pockets   on the saunter out

eating them one by one   on the return

four or five miles worth   of pocket apples.

He believed fruits best   when eaten in the wind

one thought for the field   another for the house.

He loved the racy    and wild American flavors

knew that Solomon says    comfort me with apples

Homer and Herodotus    spoke of them and

the Prose Edda held    apples could restore

youth in one  weakened by age.

Apple that grows   in the old Cellar-Hole (Malus cellaris)

the Truant’s Apple (Cessatoris)   which no boy

however late   will go by   without knocking some off

the Chickaree-Apple   Partridge-Apple

Slug-Apple   the Concord Apple not the Discord

the Railroad-Apple  from a core thrown out of the cars

the Saunterer’s-Apple  you may lose yourself

before you find that one   Wine of New England

the Apple where hangs   the Forgotten Scythe

the Beauty of the Air  the Frozen-Thawed Apple

better than bottled cider        your jaws are the cider-press.

Some brindled with red like a cow  some touched with green rust

like fine lichen.   To name them all   call in the sunrise and sunset

call in the woodpecker   purple finch   squirrel   and jay.