Poetry Friday--Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs

Last week I started forcing a hyacinth bulb on my kitchen windowsill. Almost within hours its roots began to sprout and a touch of green began to show at the top. I think this bulb was ready and waiting for me!

Here's a very old poem by Saadi that says what I would like to say about the hyacinth today.

Hyacinths to Feed Thy Soul

If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
And from thy slender store two loaves alone
      to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.

Saadi is the pen name of the Persian poet Muslih-ud-Din Mushrif ibn-Abdullah Shirazi. Poetry is obviously good for one's health since Saadi lived from 1184 to 1283 (or 1291--the date is uncertain), which would have made him 99 (or 107) when he died!

With any luck, in another few weeks the bulb will bloom a lovely bright pink and flood the kitchen with a gorgeous spring scent. (And then the extra heavy flower head will probably cause the delicate stem to snap--beauty does not come without a price!)

If you'd like to force your own hyacinth bulbs, there's information here to get you started.

Although traditional, you don't really need a hyacinth glass to grow bulbs, my bulb was started in a pottery vase made by my son, Jesse. Hyacinth glasses are not as common as they were in the past. Old ones have become rather collectible. To learn more about the glasses, this site has more information, and photos, than you'll ever need.

What better reason to grow hyacinths than to inspire a poem? Here's a resulting tanka:

the view through
the kitchen window
january's grey
skies eclipsed by
a forced hyacinth

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

I'll finish with a quote from Carl Sandburg: "Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." Ponder that for a while, then visit Irene at Live. Love. Explore! for this week's Round-Up of poetry postings.