I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

12 August 2015

Eating Wild Violets for Breakfast

After the feast of Brigid
these were left,
some in the glass flower vase
we set on the altar before her,
the rest in a box in the fridge
on a sheet of wet white tissue paper.

‘You can eat them!’ said one
who had gathered them for us,
her smile lighting her face.
 
It is three days later,
but they kept.
I pick up a few, singly,
and place them in turn on my tongue.
Surprisingly, they don’t melt.
I must chew the tiny petals.

Then I scatter them all
on my morning cereal, and eat.
My senses open to Faerie.

I am at once ethereal
and rooted in earth;
more decadent
than Marie Antionette,
yet innocent as a wisp of air
breathed from a baby’s lips.

I thank the Goddess for sharing,
and open my mouth
to speak beauty.


Linked to Poets United's Midweek Motif: Beauty

This poem also appears in Sherry's Poets United feature: A Chat With Rosemary Nissen-Wade ~ On Poetry and Witchcraft.

20 comments:

  1. I especially like the last two stanzas -- ethereal yet rooted in earth seems perfect to me.
    And if we would all open our mouths to speak beauty, what a different world it might be!

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  2. How. I. Adore. This Poem. Oh my goodness! "My senses open to Faerie....and I open my mouth to speak Beauty." Yes, you do To perfection.

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  3. aah..you've defined beauty in this magical verse Rosemary..."yet innocent as a wisp of air / breathed from a baby’s lips." what could be more beautiful than that?...

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  4. To be able to express what is indeed beautiful to the eyes and the ears is delightful :D
    Beautifully captured :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  5. I think I might have had violets on a salad once. I had a good friend that was big into living off the land.

    I like the contrasts in the Marie Antoinette line and the wisp. Perhaps what we fill ourselves with (what we take in) we give back out. And thus beauty is perpetuated.

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  6. A truly lovely read, well done.

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  7. I like the reference to Marie Antoinette as how rich beauty feels when when one has it in ones grasp. Luckily for most of we see beauty in many things which have little value but their beauty itself.

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  8. luv the image of beauty gushng forth in word form

    have a lovely Wednesday Rosemary

    much love...

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  9. I think nasturtiums and wild violets are better in a vase....lavender in the pillow case ...rosemary in the sheets...pun not intended LOL

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  10. "I thank the Goddess for sharing,
    and open my mouth
    to speak beauty." ~ This is incredibly lovely.

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  11. Had to read this again. I must remember to eat blossoms, open to Faerie and speak Beauty!

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  12. It only takes one bite to enter that state of wonder. What a place you take the reader - magical Rosemary

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  13. I like the ending line..and open my mouth to speak of beauty ~ I don't eat them but I would prefer them as scents or blooms in my vase ~

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  14. I personally really like the beginning stanzas where you tell this story. I can see this, and even taste it.

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  15. After eating violets, only beauty can be expressed.

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  16. Great poem and imagery of knowing more than oneself.

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  17. Rosemary, I did love this. From the perfect confection of a title to the circumstance that allows for eating the violets. The surprise that they didn't "melt in your mouth." Then the connection to goddess, to nature... a little bit of heaven, here. This will stay with me all day. Thanks so much! (And thx for stopping by to visit...) Amy

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  18. The last two stanzas especially cause me to sigh and nod...wow...so beautiful and special. Thank you, for describing this experience to us. :)

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  19. Sounds just lovely, Rosemary. I eat a great many nasturtiums in the summer, but not violets--beautiful. Thanks for the vision. k.

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  20. A lovely poem full of beautiful word-pictures, Rosemary. The act of eating the fragrant flowers and commuting with the spirits of nature is a powerful image.

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