Recently, I have received cell-phone pictures of flowers from two of my friends. Both sent flowers that they see frequently, in their own backyards, driveways, or off the highways. I love these snapshots, not so much because of their aesthetic beauty, but because of the way the viewer was compelled to pull over, take notice, marvel at the simple perfection of a bud, and then pass that moment of joy onto someone else. And yay, hallelulajah, that lucky someone was me, and now it’s you.
Kitten tongue pink in a cloud of mint
Fat-petaled cheeks weigh down wide-open faces
Heads nodding at inside jokes
When the car pulls in
Smoke sighs from the window
Tires hiss relief
Weary slog of back and forth
Tired that rests in the marrow
The buds blend into the afternoon
Heavy lids make it hard to see past smudging thoughts
All in a day’s work
But today
The flowersGiggling their greeting
Gossiping with the grass
Shimmying in the breeze
Delicate leaves making jazzhands
Bobbing and bowing
Backlit, by a bright blue screen
Today
She couldn’t help but smile
Nod graciously, gratefully, at the roses
Snap a picture for forever
Of a flower and a feeling
How nice it is to be home again