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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The meaning of flowers for toads

At the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, Kerry has told us of the meaning of flowers, first those Ophelia mentioned in Shakespeare's Hamlet, then as the ancient tradition in different countries of assigning meanings to flowers, and also as the poet William Blake wrote of them.
This already gave us much food for thought, and then she gave us a link to lists of flowers and their meanings.
Along with the latter, I have taken the title of a 1940s song by the beautiful and talented Lena Horne, and have written a few verses in no particular poetic style ("no particular" being, to me, my own style).





Dahlia from Wikipedia
my love, your love is careless love
you give me dahlias,
michaelmas daisies,
geraniums and yellow carnations.


my dear, my love is constant love
so I give you bluebells, 
pink carnation buttonholes,
and the dainty caspia.

you give me hellebore
Michaelmas Daisy
(Aster) from Wikipedia
betraying your calumny,
while I give you rosebuds
to confess my devotion.

the flowering pear
and scarlet geranium
will soon comfort me
in your absence.
 Kay L. Davies, October, 2013

18 comments:

Liz Rice-Sosne said...

I really enjoy the educational sense in this poem. I learned! I love Hellebore.

Hannah said...

Ooo...I just love all the different flowers and the meanings you lace throughout your poem...definitely brings the story and the emotions, too. :)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I love the barbed wit in this poem - terrific message in the offering of the very different blooms.

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

A lovely poem. I adore flowers but am neither adept at growing them nor identifying anything more than the common ones. I'm always interested to know what they mean. There is a scene in "Kate and Leopold" where Hugh Jackman's character (Leopold) counsels Breckin Meyer's character about which flowers to send to his lady love according to meaning. I've always remembered that scene. :)

Susie Clevenger said...

A floral dictionary so beautifully written through poetry. :)

Ella said...

I love the emotions tied into your verse~ Very clever Kay!

Mara said...

I think I have/had Michaelmas Daisies in my garden. Plus an assortment of others. Which are now all being battered to pulp by the pounding rain.

I am always amazed that you seem to be able to write those poems so easily! Good on you!

Gattina said...

What a beautiful poem !

Kerry O'Connor said...

Such a clever use of contrasting emotions on this bouquet.

Grandmother Mary said...

Looks like she realized the divide and has her comforts lined up for when he's gone. Smart.

hedgewitch said...

Very adept use of the language in question, Kay--had fun looking up the various flowers. I love Lena's voice!

dianasfaria.com said...

Flowers, well, they are one of my favorite things in this whole world - beautifully done! Have I told you lately that I love your way with words Kay?

Penelope Notes said...

Such a well-crafted intertwining of words to show how love can bloom even when not reciprocated.

Margaret said...

Well, I for one always enjoy "your style".

As for this poem, one cannot say she wasn't forewarned! Nicely done.

Peggy said...

I like your style here and all the flowers you included! Good response to the prompt!

Scarlet said...

How sad for the absence Kay ~ I like how you used all the flowers & their meanings ~ Good one, smiles ~

Jenn Jilks said...

I so love flowers. Thanks for checking in.
Tough week.
Lovely to read your blog.

Susan said...

Love story in flowers ... with music, messages and consolation. Very fine!