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As The Last Petal Falls

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March 3, 2025

~ Second Place ~
Contest: Just March 2025 Posted
Sponsor: Brian Strand

~ Ninth Place ~
Premiere Contest: As The Last Petal Falls
Sponsor: Sara Jama

I recline with my cherry tree musings…

a fount of blossoms  cherub cheek colored
rise and curve from the ground 
up into a heaven-and-cloud scene  
to spread in splendor  a festoon of blooms 
like cumulus puffs plucked from above
and placed in tufts to fluff up graceful branches 
plush with clusters the tint of an ingenue’s blush
captured within her maiden buds 
before she even knew  how  to bloom

born of Nature’s wealth 
she is rich with ruffled flourish
steeped with dawn’s diamond dew
heaped with pollen-gold  pursed within
petal-pouches 'til unfurled like hooped petticoats
thriving with a thrill yet only for the lifespan 
of but  a  brief  thought  conjured by the cosmos

she wears the luxe mantle of a romance regent
a spring queen amongst the green
but a reign not designed to last beyond
the swoon of April's rouged moon

..and  I  the lowly grateful grass beneath her class
am charmed and soothed 
by the light fall of her coral confetti rain 
as her flowers relinquish control  
reaching into their shared soul  
realizing it’s time to let go… falling
oh  f a l l i n g  from heights of her feminine fame—
a shower of rosy carnival streamers
a dramatic-diva's curtain call

..and I  the lowly grateful grass beneath her shade
am humbled by the melancholy of her fading beauty
but cheered to wear her eye catching mantle 
and bear her vanilla scented love letters to the earth 
   transforming me 
from the peasantry of chlorophyll—  unfulfilled 
       transforming me 
from the mundane to the ordained
for in this moment   as you gaze upon me
m e… these plain blades of crass grass  —even I 
am  e n c h a n t i n g  as the last pink petal falls

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Sara Kendrick

Date: 3/15/2025 8:18:00 AM

Congratulations on this one being on the winners' list. Way to go. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Sara K

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/16/2025 8:48:00 AM

Dear Sara, thank your for your gracious visit and kind words of congrats. Your lovely thoughts are appreciated. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Paige Hind

Date: 3/14/2025 6:47:00 PM

Breathtaking- I liked your comparisons . "for in this moment as you gaze upon me these plain blades of grass even I am enchanting as the gift of the last pink petal falls" beautiful and final end, that doesn't end.

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/16/2025 8:47:00 AM

Dear Paige, wonderful poet, I relish your kind visit and lovely thoughts. Thank you for spending time with my poem and for letting my verse play upon your heart and imagination. I'm filled with gratitude, my dear friend. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

thriveni c mysore

Date: 3/13/2025 12:30:00 AM

classic. congratulations on your win dear poet. cheers!!!

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/13/2025 9:14:00 AM

Dear Thriveni, your gracious visit with kind congrats is truly appreciated. Thank you, my poet friend. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Constance La France

Date: 3/10/2025 8:19:00 PM

Susan, you have the gift of words and are a beautiful writer, I love this poem and congratulation on your placement in the contest, blessings ~

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/13/2025 9:13:00 AM

Dear Constance, I am humbled and honored by your generosity and kindness. Your words are cherished and held in my deepest gratitude. You are a beautiful writer too whose verses shine with your appreciative mindful spirit and the tender gift of empathy. Thank you, my poet friend. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Zyrool Gifford

Date: 3/9/2025 9:16:00 AM

Hello Susan,, this is truly a beautiful write, as a reader I was wishing it to be longer as I was throughly enjoying the read. Wishing you a peaceful Sunday, my friend.

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/13/2025 9:07:00 AM

Ah Zyrool, I am touched by your kindness and beautiful spirit. I love the daffodils, I've placed them in an imaginary vase to admire as they bring a bouquet of Spring smiles to my being. Thank you, my dear poet friend.. ~Susan

Zyrool Gifford
Date: 3/13/2025 8:08:00 AM

Hello Susan, my sincere apologies for not once but twice typing your name incorrectly on two of my comments to you. Please accept this bunch of imaginary daffodils, my friend.Stay Blessed.

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/13/2025 7:48:00 AM

Dear Zyrool, wonderful poet, your precious thoughts touch my heart deeply. Thank you for sharing in the emotions and imagery of this piece with me. I am completely honored that you were "wishing it to be longer".. your sweet sentiment feeds my poet's soul. So happy you enjoyed my poem! Warmest wishes to you, my sweet friend.. ~Susan

Ink Empress

Date: 3/7/2025 10:48:00 PM

Dear susan, poetic genius, perfect day to read this beautiful poem, which depicts a feminine spirit in the most eloquent manner: i love the assonance and alliterations flowing throughout this poem as well as how youv written "and I the lowly grateful grass beneath her shade am humbled by the melancholy of her fading beauty" just beautiful!!! How stunning! Your way with describing things is beyond impressive! Pleasure reading you today: happy womens day! Sending you light always

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/13/2025 7:43:00 AM

Dear Ink, soulful poetess, I'm thrilled by your embrace of the feminine spirit of this poem. I wanted capture a sense of joy in experiencing the soft, graceful quality of this symbolic female entity, and portray a sense gratitude for her lovely presence, even as she ages and her petals fall. Thank you for sharing in the emotions and celebration of this piece with me. Your thoughts are cherished. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Valsa George

Date: 3/5/2025 10:29:00 PM

Hi Susan, your cherry tree in her blossom glory shines magnificent, but for a very brief period. The 'confetti rain'(oh, how I love that expression!) will soon start and she will be devoid of of all her embellishments. The grass with plain blades under her feet will be gifted with pink petal galore. Susan, your poem is so very striking with celestial images and metaphors! You think in ways no ordinary poet can think. Congratulations, sweet Susan on your win though you deserve greater placement

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/13/2025 7:33:00 AM

Dearest Valsa, lovely poetess, I'm enchanted by the beauty of your comments and grateful to receive your precious thoughts. Indeed, I am humbled by your kindness and honored for your considerate congrats. Your heartfelt words touch my heart deeply. Thank you, my dear sweet friend, for believing in my poetry. You are an inspiration to me always. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

David Crandall

Date: 3/4/2025 5:26:00 PM

Beautiful poem from the point of view of the grass, nice internal rhymes and alliteration, and we see the cherry tree having its day, and then, for a moment, the grass.

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/5/2025 6:00:00 AM

Dear David, your comments are beautiful and a joy to receive. Yes even the ordinary grass was given its moment of glory. Thank you for sharing in the imagery and emotion of this poem with me. Warmest wishes my poet friend.. ~Susan

Hilda Greenhough

Date: 3/4/2025 7:00:00 AM

I like the personification of the cherry tree. Your poem shimmers with color and change. I like the last line, "I...am enchanting as the pink gift of the last petal falls".

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/4/2025 9:01:00 AM

Dear Hilda, I appreciate your wonderful visit and your lovely comments. So glad to know you liked my poem and especially the last line. Your words are uplifting, my poet friend, thank you. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Tom Woody

Date: 3/3/2025 1:14:00 PM

Such beautiful poetry, and quite a changeup from your last one. Your ability to change moods in a single day and go from firebrand to firefly is quite amazing. I barely get inspired once a month lol

Susan Ashley
Date: 3/4/2025 8:58:00 AM

haha! Blame in on the mood swings ;) Dear Tom, actually my Eve poem was about a month or so in the making after reading news accounts from this country and from around the world on violence against women. Therefore.. lots of outrage, thoughts, verses, edits.. outrage, thoughts, verses, edits.. you get the idea.. The Petal poem I wrote pretty quickly, a day and a half for me is pretty quick lol! Usually I'm a slow-pen poet! I like your "firebrand to firefly" comparison! Thank you for your gracious comments, my poet friend. Warmest wishes.. ~Suze