FREE VERSE FRIDAY #5 MAY FLOWERS

I've decided to join Beverly A Baird, Linda Schueler and others in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joins, will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.

You can find out more about this here.

In my mind I have a vision of Spring waking up flowers to join in a wild and raucous celebration of the return of the sun.  I started working on it, but it is unwieldy and wants to go on and on. I thought I better prune it down (pun intended) and focus on one aspect of it. 
It's blossom time in my neck of the woods, and it is glorious indeed. Unfortunately this poem kept too kept growing. On my walks I keep noticing flowering shrubs and trees that I had overlooked in my poem. I swear they scowl at me and ask, "Hey, What about me?"

The first time I participated, I didn't quite get the photo part right, so I sent a half decent draft of my poem to my partner, Randy Rotheisler, and a friend, Ron Peace, both gifted photographers, asking for images to accompany it. It was fun and they are keen to continue, so that's what we are doing. 

Randy Rotheisler


oh so lovingly
spring tickles blossoms
from reluctant trees and bushes

forsythia flounces out first, 
leading the parade 
in yellow frills, 

on the wild slopes 

saskatoon branches 
adorn themselves in 
delicate wisps of white corolla

antelope bitterbrush 
burst out in 
halos of cream clusters 

stately dogwood 
announce their presence 
in cascades of four petal splendour  

citrus sweet clusters 
of mock orange 
arrive 
just in time 
for bridal bouquets

in the tamed valley, 
fruit trees explode
in florescence 

apricot arrives
in a fuss of blush  
 
apple, cherry, pear and plum 
hustle bustle around 
arrayed in shades of alabaster  
  
cheeky peach  
preens and pirouettes
in a profusion in pink

in the gardens and yards of local folk
 
crimson camellia 
carry on with the

magnolia cousins,
strutting their stuff
in sprays of white stars  
and marvels of magenta

while lilac arrives
quietly, 
in perfumed panicles 
of delicate florets

blessed indeed 
are we humble creatures 
to witness 
this divine spectacle of
painted fragrance


Ron Peace


Maybe I should have just focused on arrowleaf baslsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata.) The hills glow golden with their flowering these days. 




2 comments:

  1. Wow, you build such a fabulous picture that it makes me want to come over and witness this beauty myself. You've inspired me to catalogue our forest flowers next year.

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  2. Love your poem. So many flowers mentioned. Thanks for sharing and joining in.

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