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March 4, 2016

Poetry Friday--"The Hyacinth Girls"

Yes, it's another hyacinth post! I've created a label for "Hyacinths and Other Flowers" and will be adding labels to posts that contain these topics. In the winter months I really crave the lack of flowers, so I try to force some hyacinth bulbs each year. An earlier hyacinth post from 2016 can be found here.

I started a number of bulbs at the same approximate time and this is how they ended up on Monday when I took the photo:


It got me thinking about the whole nature/nurture thing and from there sprang "The Hyacinth Girls."
The Hyacinth Girls

The short one favors
a somber, Lenten purple
to match the stoic outlook
those of a compact
stature need to survive.

Another loves magenta,
an in-your-face, can't be
denied, color of joy
sure to turn heads.
And, that, she does.

The shy sister prefers a pale
powder pink. Barely noticeable,
but well aware of her worth,
one day she'll rename
her color, “Champagne.”

The tallest lays claim
to yellow. With their skin tones
none of the others can wear it.
She uses color as an artist
does, to make a point.

Different, yet the same, each
blossoms and grows, decorates,
intoxicates, and propagates
so that next year we'll
fall in love all over again.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Our friend, Linda, at Teacher Dance, is today's Poetry Friday host. Be sure to stop by!

23 comments:

  1. Kudos to the gorgeous Hyacinth Girls (and to their cultivator)! I love the oh-so-true! unique idiosyncrasies you've captured among our sisters! My favorite two metaphors: "The shy sister...well aware of her worth, one day she'll rename her color, “Champagne.” "The tallest lays claim to yellow...uses color as an artist does, to make a point." Thank you for the beautiful Spring preview. God bless you!

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    1. Many thanks, I had champagne on the brain this week. I created a collage around champagne, too!

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  2. Beautiful - the flowers and the poem. I have four sisters of my own, so loved the lines: Different, yet the same, each
    blossoms and grows. Which appplies to sisters human or floral :)

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  3. Love it, D. All of it... Jet

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    1. Thanks, Janet! Has spring sprung in Corofin yet?

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  4. Pure delight, Diane. Thanks for sharing the words and the blooms. Like CB, I'm taken with: 'one day she'll rename / her color, “Champagne.” '

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  5. I think I won't look at another hyacinth the same way after this, Diane. You have captured the personalities, and made us look again. I like that you took a "little thing" and made it big, and "the stoic outlook
    those of a compact
    stature need to survive." Perceptive it is!

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    1. It's funny, Linda, but I have two purple hyacinth on my windowsill right now and neither is taller than 3" while the other three colors are 8-10" high!

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  6. What a fine family you've made! I bet they smell divine!

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    1. Indeed they do. I walk in the front door and the air is heavily scented.

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  7. Love this, Diane! Your girls are so pretty and your words even more so. Delightful. :)

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    1. Thanks, Jama. I still have a few more bulbs to start before I run out, but hopefully by time those bloom, spring will have arrived outside, too!

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  8. So cute! Love the way their personalities match their colors and stature. Wish I could smell them. Few flowers smell as sweet - or maybe it's because we haven't seen or smelled the sweetness of flowers for the long winter that gives them that added beauty and aroma.

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    1. No, their fragrance would stand out even in a garden full of roses!

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  9. As Linda said, this poem will come to mind when I next see hyacinths - I'll be wondering personalities, Diane.

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    1. One of the reason I like this batch of bulbs is that most of the tunics are purple, but the flowers that come from those bulbs are pale (almost white) pink, magenta, and purple. The white tunics ended up with white and yellow flowers. You never know what you're going to get--just like with children!

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  10. Different yet same-bold magenta takes the lead in growth and beauty but remains part of the same family. How splendid, Diane.

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    1. Thanks, Carol. Enjoy the rest of this lovely weekend!

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  11. Replies
    1. I'm glad you like, Marion! Come back again, I'm always working on something!

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  12. I'm loving how you personified these gorgeous gals, Diane. Especially the shy one. "...one day she'll rename
    her color, “Champagne.” <— brilliant.

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