A flower was offered to me
on a wet day. The wide green leaves
were heavy and glossy with rain.
It was a larger than usual gardenia,
the scent of its radiant bloom
intensified in the misty air.
And that is my favourite flower.
Nevertheless, I turned away, walked past
as if I failed to see the arm held out.
I turned away, and said in my head
to my invisible companion: Dearest Andrew,
I'd rather be in bed on this wet day.
If you were here, as flesh and blood,
I'd like to be in bed with you all day,
snuggling up, cuddling, reading.
We'd bring snacks and cuppas
back to our bed. Now and then we'd nod off,
back to our bed. Now and then we'd nod off,
singly or together. We'd rise around 4,
do a bit of writing at our separate desks,
feed the cats, get our dinner, watch
some evening telly. Then we'd go back to bed
in the same warm pyjamas. Then
we'd make love. It would last all night.
We'd have amazing dreams by morning....
A flower was offered to me. I turned
as if I'd not understood, and moved away.
To embrace armfuls of deathless flowers.
Written in response to Sumana's Midweek Motif prompt at Poets United: A flower was offered to me
To embrace armfuls of deathless flowers.
Written in response to Sumana's Midweek Motif prompt at Poets United: A flower was offered to me
even if reality is as beautiful as a favorite flower it can't be equal to the beauty of a reverie...love the yearning in the closing line...
ReplyDeleteThank you Sumana. I realise I had the prompt words a little wrong; we had thunderstorms, I had to turn off my computer and mis-remembered them. Fortunately it was easy to fix, and i think the poem works even better now.
DeleteSometimes our memories offer the most comforting bloom..the place we want to be..wish to be..can travel to in our heads if left alone..the opening image is dreamlike and by the time i got to the end i think i understood why that arm was politely declined - not rejection but a choice..i think i may well have done the same..skilfully and beautifully written..as always
ReplyDeleteLife always offers a flower... And let's us make a choice... Maybe the known past is better than an unknowable future, howsoever fragrant... Who knows.
ReplyDeletememories as strong as the scent - perhaps if it were a different flower...
ReplyDeleteWho knows? But it does seem unlikely.
DeleteAh, yes. Sometimes those gifts from God and the universe will not suffice, as well I know. How patiently you etch that out, giving each of us more time to live the difference with the narrator. "Armfuls of deathless flowers." Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe poem offers so much to the reader both in words and image.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully rendered!
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Deeply riveting piece, Rosemary! As they say, strong walls shake and never collapse..that's what life teaches us! Flowers trigger strong memories...Love it!
ReplyDeleteOh this pings at the heart............the speaking to Andrew, your "invisible companion", the longing to have such a day as those dear remembered ones........sigh. Very nostalgic and lovely and poignant.
ReplyDeleteOh this is so poignant, Rosemary! Such wonderful memories you have. And, ah, if there were only deathless flowers...what a beautiful world it would be.
ReplyDeleteHow outstanding and poignant this poem is. One that quickly brings tears to the eyes as it is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is pounding. I understand the joy of sharing a wet day in bed. I think I too would refuse the flower. Beautiful writing Rosemary. I love its honesty, sensitivity and its sadness.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we want to walk in the garden of our mind..get lost in the memories we hold so dear.
ReplyDeleteThe emotion is striking, the last stanza hits like a freight train after being filled by the love of its predecessors. brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite part:
ReplyDelete"A flower was offered to me. I turned
as if I'd not understood, and moved away."
yearning for a past love is natural, i could very well understand your refusal, since the real thing absorbs your soul in a very good serving of memories
ReplyDeletethanks for dropping in to read mine
much love...
Amazing
ReplyDeleteNostalgic and powerfully emotive
ReplyDeleteYou have described those wonderful lazy wet days so well. True wealth in my opinion.A sad and lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteThere's a fragrance in this. I wrote of Gardenias too. This is lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your beautiful reverie with Andrew. Simple things can bring such joy. Another bittersweet poem.
ReplyDeleteThe not yet spent flower fits perfectly with your poem of longing. Beautiful moment to held suspended in a poem
ReplyDeleteThe memory of happy times past are stronger than the present reality. Yes, I can relate tot hat, Rosemary... Lovely write!
ReplyDeleteThere is a sense of suspended time, suspended, beautiful time in this lovely poem.
ReplyDelete