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Iris Garden

Aunt Bonnie’s garden showcased showy orchid-like irises -- 
beds of “flags,” a feast for the eyes, produced rainbows of color
yellow, purple, orange, bronzes. 
She did not know her irises took their real name 
from a Greek goddess, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, 
Her glorious "flags" fluttered wildly for all who came 
oogling and aahing, admiring shimmering vibrant multi-colors 
Born, as they were, from sturdy bulbous tubers buried shallow
in late fall, hibernating through bitter cold, coming alive 
May to September in splendorous array.

FIRST PLACE WINNER
Written March 10, 2022
especially for "I - Poetry Form - Imagism" Poetry Contest
sponsored by Constance La France

Copyright © L Milton Hankins | Year Posted 2022

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Constance La France Date: 3/19/2022 8:14:00 AM Milt, congratulations on your win in my Imagism contest with your beautiful poem full of lovely imagery ~Constance Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/19/2022 8:33:00 AM Thank you so much, Constance. I enjoyed your contest and was pleased with my placement.

Christuraj Alex Date: 3/19/2022 12:30:00 AM Iris connection of Greek mythology, and the characteristic features of Iris - are beautifully illustrated. Congratulations! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/19/2022 8:33:00 AM Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it.

Alexis Y. Date: 3/18/2022 8:16:00 PM Hi Milt, You did a fine job describing aunt Bonnie’s flowers. Well done. Congratulations on your first-place win. It was well deserved. Have a good evening-Alexis Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/18/2022 9:15:00 PM Thanks, Alexis. I appreciate your thoughts.

Kim Rodrigues Date: 3/18/2022 12:53:00 PM Aunt Bonnie proud of her flowers and this poem! Congratulations! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/18/2022 1:45:00 PM Ah, Aunt Bonnie is somewhere in the great beyond, probably embarrassed that I've given her Iris Garden (which was real, by the way) international recognition. She was quite a bird! Thanks, Kim.

Sotto Poet Date: 3/18/2022 11:21:00 AM Congratulations on your contest win with this well-deserved writing, Milt. I hope you doing well my friend. Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/18/2022 11:58:00 AM I am doing well, as far as I know, Lasaad. I wish the same for you, too. I'm still having a hard time adjusting to your alias. Oh well, anyway......

Mystic Rose Rose Date: 3/7/2022 12:03:00 PM Sounds like an amazing garden, what time is tea at Aunt Bonnie's Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/7/2022 12:39:00 PM Actually, she can dish up an great afternoon tea anytime...that is, if she were still living. Aunt Bonnie has been gone for a number of years. The garden is no more!

Caren Krutsinger Date: 3/6/2022 11:44:00 PM Aunt Bonnie's garden was a showcase! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/18/2022 1:46:00 PM Oh yeah, Aunt Bonnie was something else! She loved us, but she wasn't about to give us anything...not even a bulb! Caren Krutsinger Date: 3/7/2022 10:28:00 AM She charged you money to purchase bulbs from her garden? I am smirking now. L Milton Hankins Date: 3/7/2022 9:12:00 AM Yes, it was. She had hundreds of them. She was kind of stingy, though. She charged me for a couple of bulbs which I wanted for my flower garden. She was eccentric, funny. I should write more about Aunt Bonnie.

Joanna Daniel Date: 3/6/2022 8:10:00 PM I can picture them bobbing, Milt, beautiful:) Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/6/2022 9:48:00 PM Thanks so much, Jo.

Joseph May Date: 3/6/2022 4:50:00 PM The iris is seen as a a flower of power and royalty, Very nicely penned Milt Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/6/2022 6:44:00 PM Thank you, Joseph. It was one of my mother's favorite flowers, as well.

Leo Larry Amadore Date: 3/6/2022 1:36:00 PM Irises have long been one of my favorite flowers, especially those few that grew long ago on the the edges of a small Louisiana bayou. Thank you for bringing back the memory of those flowers. Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/6/2022 6:46:00 PM Thank you for your thoughts, Leo. I'm glad it brought back memories. Thanks, too, for the read and for letting me hear from you.