Fresh-cut Flowers
By Brian L. Duffin
“Fresh-cut flowers,” rang out the cry
Perhaps if only to smell them will I buy
A dainty sort of petal, and a stock so green
Indeed so beautiful a flower as I had ever seen
Clinging to the stem fell the water dripping by
And to my eyes a tear as a funeral passed on by
Yet with its stinging finality, death wore a bright red rose
Clinging to sweet memories while it lay in sweet repose
Quickly cut from earth to bear the burdens of the mourning
Entwined with ribbons lace, for the earth it is yearning
And life found the end of its beginning days
Again in the sun basking in its glorious rays
No mourner stopped by to smell the fresh cut flowers
Rather set foot in stride with faces sad and dour
And I stood silent still watching as they marched on by
Grieving for the fresh cut flowers that I would buy
(1998)
I’m sorry this didn’t post at noon when I thought I had scheduled it. The poet, you might recognize, is an occasional blogger at Millennial Star.
Such a generous characterization of a lapsed blogger. You are far too kind!
Thank you for the invitation to share this poem with your readers. I was quite the prolific writer when I was in college. Not so much lately. Perhaps it is time to take up the quill and paper again.
Thanks for keeping the popcorn popping on your blog!
I really like this, Brian. Keepa is giving me more and more poetry to like.
Thank you for sharing that, Brian. That was worth a second and a third read. I just attended the burial services on Saturday for a stillborn child, so the images in the poem were especially poignant.
Wow – nice work, Brian. I immediately recognized your name as associated with M Star – nice surprise to see you around these parts. And really nice to have such a recent poem to add to the Keepapitchinin collection.
Hope you’ll share more.
Carol– I am glad you liked it! I agree–Keepa has a wonderful collection of poetry.
Amy T– My condolences to the family of this child. Much of my earlier poetry focused on the subject of death. I wrote many poems in the early morning hours, often after working a shift where there was an incident involving a death.
David Y.– Thank you for your kind words. I am actually a frequent reader of Keepa, just not much of a commenter. Perhaps I should comment more often?
Thanks to everyone for the comments. I hope to have more to share at some future date.
Perhaps I should comment more often?
Uh, yeah!