Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Summer Blooms


I remember the soft scented evenings
of summer, when I was a girl:
peony and lilac, sweet pea and nasturtium,
japonica and geranium and tall hollyhocks
in my grandmother's garden.

I liked to think the garden
was a village for fairies,
who took shelter under the leaves
during afternoon thunderstorms.
I remember the smell of earth
rising up, sharp, metallic,
in the moments just before the rain,
my Grandma and I exchanging smiles
in her back porch.
How she loved a good thunderstorm!
I love them still; that smell of coming rain
always takes me back to
summertime Kelowna, in the 60's.

And I am fifteen again,
standing under white blossoms in City Park,
as a brown-eyed boy hands me a bloom,
sweetly saying: "Poor man's orchid,"
just before my first
broken heart.

for Susan's prompt at Midweek Motif: Flowers

21 comments:

  1. Why is it that flowers so often precede broken hearts?

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  2. the eyes of the soul remember the beauty they beheld, the soul forever beholds, as the heart struggles to forget.

    wonderful reflection, mi amiga

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  3. the eyes of the soul remember the beauty they beheld, the soul forever beholds, as the heart struggles to forget.

    wonderful reflection, mi amiga

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  4. Luv the world of events in your flower story. Sherry
    Happy Wednesday

    Much love...

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  5. oooooOO! Twilight faerie tales and Grandmother's porch and the first broken heart! perfect. I like the list of flowers, too. (Mine would add snapdragons.)

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  7. You brought bck memories of my own Grandmother, her garden was very much like your Grandmother's garden. We are so lucky to have these memories. I remember sitting on ther porch swing, she would sew little clothes for my dolls, and we would sing, in the sweet scents from the garden, always nasturtiums along the sidewalk.

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  8. You brought back memories for me as well, Sherry. I loved the smell of earth, and loved to watch the thunder storms progress across the fields. You write so beautifully!

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  9. This is soo lovely, I love "soft scented evenings of summer" evocative write, Sherry❤️

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  10. Such warm memories. I like the bittersweet ending. Oh, to be 15 again. Love how you wrote to this prompt, how flowers are part of your fond memories.

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  11. My grandmother had a huge garden and there were always flowers along its edges. Thanks for the memories,

    Elizabeth

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  12. Congratulations. You stirred up many fond memories. Summers were our favorite season too.

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  13. Charming memories of your Grandma's
    garden.

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  14. I liked to think the garden
    was a village for fairies,

    Yes, I imagine you would like to think that and I still do...

    lovely memories Sherry

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  15. I think it was my Aunty's garden that entranced me which was huge. I could never understand how she managed to keep it so free from weeds! What a beautiful poem this is Sherry.

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  16. the imagery is so vivid. nostalgia is clearly felt. beautiful!

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  17. What a magical journey - i could picture you back then.. beautiful as always :-)

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  18. A wonderful, delightful and vivid world you paint Sherry, even with your 'first broken heart'. Such lovely memories!

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  19. ah. beautiful and that peculiar combination of sad and happy. lovely ~

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  20. Ah, what a poignant memory, now more sweet than bitter.

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  21. A wonderful poem, Sherry, documentig both sweet and bitter memories you associate with the flowers of your youth...

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