It’s that time of week again: Paint-Chip Poetry at the last minute! This week, Linda is challenging us to write a Sestina, a word that strikes fear into poets everywhere đł (or maybe just me). I have finished only 2 sestinas in my entire life, and I actually liked one of them! I meant to start this poem earlier, but all I did was look at the paint chips:
Flowers
On the Way Home
I found a flower on the ground
And heard grace whispering: a sound
Of gentleness consoling me,
I feel lucky.
I feel not only lucky — blessed,
To have the bloom of beauty rest
Before my eyes, a color deep,
Kindness to keep.
A flowering of hope renewed,
Of happiness and gratitude,
And when the petals’ beauty fades,
God’s presence stays.
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I wrote this poem yesterday and today, inspired by the flower I found on the sidewalk while walking home from the library on Friday. To me, the flower was like a present from Jesus. Shared with this week’s Writers’ Pantry.
Carnations
This Chaucerian stanza was inspired by the time I really did buy myself a carnation on Valentine’s Day. â€
On Valentine’s she for a flower waits,
Maybe a rose? A girl can’t help but dream.
Then she decides to her own love create,
Seeing carnations red and pink and cream-
Colored, for sale; a pink one’s beauty seems
Ideal, she buys herself a long-stemmed bloom.
Kindness and love can always make more room.
Munchkins!
Inspired by the Sunday Writing Prompt at MLMM (it might be a little too late), “The Little Things.” Also for FOWC: Realm. The other day, I was in my backyard and noticed a beautiful flower, so I took a photo of it. I posted it to Instagram with the caption (in part), “How can you be sad when you are looking at a flower like this?”
Noticing the Flourishing
May’s full moon is on Wednesday, and it is known as the Flower Moon, as Frank, the host of DVerse Haibun Monday, says.
This month, I have noticed a wealth of new flowers in the garden: varying shapes and shades, hues of pink and yellow, almost whatever one could name. Bees are busy pollinating, and the blueberries, too, are growing and ripening from a gentle light-green. We have already picked a bowlful; soon the fruits will fill baskets. The garden is waiting to give many other fruits and vegetables as treasures.
after heat of day
buzz of all activity
rests under the moon
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Time of New Birth
The dĂ©cima challenge this week is “Birth” in one of the D rhyme spots. It’s a timely prompt, as it’s April. Last time I went to the park, I noticed a profusion of new flowers and multiple ducklings! Linked also to today’s Writers’ Pantry.
Sun rises earlier each day:
It has been hesitant to wake
Yet lately decided to make
The most of it, a better way.
And later the sun also stays,
Shining its rays upon the ground,
Illuminating all around.
Now this April springtime-green Earth
Is filled with blossoms and new birth:
Even more beauty will abound.
Spring Flowers
I colored this picture for Linda G. Hill’s coloring club this month and wrote a limerick to go with it. Pusheen the cat is probably only smelling the fragrant flowers, but to me, it looks like she is chomping on it!
Wilting Lily
I wrote this in response to Angie Trafford’s Writing Wednesday and also because my Easter lily really is looking sad (picture is from a few days ago).Â
Notice this wilting Easter lily,
Sad during such a happy season,
Yet there were weeks it brought levity —
Monitor its soil for a reason.
Lack of sun or water could cause
This plummet of vitality,
Or, the plant ought to take a pause —
It could just be its time, clearly.
A Lesson
Today’s poem was actually inspired by yesterday’s one-word challenge from Fandango, which was “never.” I guess this also builds off of yesterday’s post, in which I mentioned that we could learn from those strawberry flowers. Here’s something else to learn from them.
Growing Strawberries
I wrote this string of haiku after observing the strawberry plants in my family’s garden. We have many berries growing and a few flowers on the plants.Â
I wrote this poem, in a way, to the little flower and about them. The interesting thing about them is that, even though there are many fully-grown berries by them, they do not compare themselves, and they never think that they are growing too slowly, nor think of themselves as failures. There are lessons that flowers can teach us, I think. And by “us,” of course I mean “me.”Â
