poinsettia’s glow
December’s humble flower—
red bracts framed by snow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the poinsettia's blush,
December cold bites window glass~
red bracts on white snow
The ice-scent, which was light once, flows stronger.
Cold, like a tired athlete, lingers longer.
The mind brims with the sweet thoughts of Noel.
There's, in the air, the sound of Christmas bell.
Shades of fir trees adorn the silver screens.
Twilight paints the sky with flamboyant scenes.
Fog tries to shroud the fading sun and fails.
Maple leaves and fig bracts smoothen the trails.
Streams and brooks flow with crystal-clear water.
Beneath the sea surface glad cods swatter.
Solemnity of peace pervades the earth.
Humans and angels feel the season's mirth.
The floral foliage of Fall fuels my pen to flow
Nature's carmine carnage is a crimson condition to watch
Russet quills of the trees float down in myriad shades
Amber leaves levitating like flying embers
Auburn arrows gliding to meet the earth
Soft sepia smiles sent down from the Shepherd above
Burnished varnished tree-bits travelling back to the ground
Crumbling orange smidgens creating crunchy cracklings
Brown bracts brave enough to bed with the soil
Gamboge hues gamboling like golden glowing gems
Lurid leaflets leaving their last lucid legacy
Before they turn into les feuilles mortes
Bug-free surroundings are most possible,
but not this repulsive, disgusting beast.
The so-called, Corpse Flower, how shockable,
repulsive, disgusting, and to the least
of it said, gives off such a horrid stench,
unbearable, odoriferous--mesh
vibrant acts that the breed needs to entrench
pollinators to the scent of dead flesh.
Twill bloom as the largest inflorescence,
a total flower stems, stalks, bracts, and bloom.
Twill blossom once every seven years. Once
pollination impacts, ensure its doom.
Tis their way to everlasting, The Corpse
Flower blooms heaven in seventh-year warps.
Pretty flowering plant
Often seen at Christmas,
Indigenous to Mexico
Now available at nurseries
Showy scarlet bracts,
Each surrounding yellow flowers
That require much attention
Throughout the season
In order to re-bloom
And delight next year.
Written December 2, 2022
A soft excited glowing sunburst center shows her love to flying things
a cheerful strawflower shows love to grasshoppers whose legs zing
Papery bracts pose as petals, fooling beetles falling from forest trees
Her patchwork quilt attracts butterflies, humans, and native bees
Butterflies flock to the quilt of the meadow, enjoying strawflower reveal.
Reveling in the happiness of the day and the joy that they now feel
black bat flower speaks to me
invited intensity, profound propensity.
its wings and whiskers —
spooky, grotesque.
its bouquet of flowers, teeth
that devour fear,
courage to stand my ground.
it’s said, don’t linger too long
in its centerfold song.
deep darkness swallows
one whole,
an eye entrenched
in one’s soul.
blue moon or so,
a pity party,
boundary of bracts and bracteoles,
seething bat seeds,
tears that moisten undergrowth soil
with brisk breeze.
one’s madness, compassion,
strength, prattle unleashed.
11/17/2020
'If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door'
Milton Berle
Outstretched clever Macadamia tree
Bears talents of both Mama and Papa
Fruit materialised due to insect interlopers
Dangled able honey hundred raceme
Languished beneath its branched limbs
Belonging to this land and each other
Our dream developed entity envelopes
Steadily relishing everything which comes
Impediments proffered excuses to resist
To remain staid, refrain from addendum
Instead choosing skyline over stagnation
Sacrifices made to subsume wider merits
Beholding splendour of shade waved bracts
Combined courage brought bountiful outcome
Prospect extends with each Summer harvest
Macadamia Mama Papa caretaker provides
Canopy which oversees posterity of centuries
Husk crack reveals creamiest tongue rolled gems
18th October 2020
Written for Contest : Quotable
Sponsor : Regina McIntosh
The Temperate Climes
the temperate climes arriving soon
taking possession of what will be hewn
as untrimmed flora will be heaven bound
with new seeds of love the earth will be crowned
rain from the skies will bless holy ground
to lease for awhile and wait while they’re housed
natures complexion is no longer roused
the flowers and plants conjoing as one
continuing life as once there was none
the bracts are mature and forming a bud
the color of gold released from the mud
and bright is the beauty that rests in the shade
and I compare thee as creation made
the external beauty for all to see
a daisy enhanced awaiting a bee
Summers Day Redo Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Michelle Faulkner
July 31, 2019
Some orange, purple and magenta...
Some crimson, yellow, red...
Cascade walls in soft rainbow shades.
Fountain of colors flow rooftop to balcony,
parapets and gates in gorgeous radiance.
An awestruck seduced bumblebee,
in abundance of pink champagne, cried
"My god, you are so beautiful"....
The bougainvillea vine, a triplet cluster,
unassuming small petals, dull, pale, white.
"With no fragrance in my poor heart within,
only a cosmetic trick of colorful bracts.
Leaves in disguise show off bright camouflage,
beacon butterflies, they come close to me.
Paper glamour withers, brittle, soft, thin,
My beauty is deep, only up to skin !"
Dated 15th April, 2019
Craig Cornish 's Bougainvillea Contest
The bride’s inflorescent bouquet, cascading —
a tropical tease of Chamorro charm
in the Marianas Islands.
A circular celebration arch
of bougainvillea and golden wedding bands,
preened and prepared, to love and cherish.
The handsome groom clasps the bride’s hand
as they step into the infinity ring.
Their breathing entwined with sunshine and seashells.
Her dark, Guamanian skin
and sleek ebony hair, surrounded by Red Hot,
California Gold and Sundown Orange blossoms.
The honeysuckle-scent of paper flowers,
intoxicating —
ruminating with romance.
The Pacific Islanders,
bare feet in tan sand,
release the coconut essence of their vows.
The grand reception at the hotel, in moonlight hours,
near the ancient wall, kissing blossoms and bracts.
4/8/2019
Bougainvillea Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Craig Cornish
Hanging brightly like lightning from heaven,
a riveting explosion of colours,
from angelic white to royal purple to classic pink,
you'll find your choice here.
Slender white flowers covered
with a three piece waxen skirt of bracts
makes your fingers itch to touch them,
but all beautiful things come with a cost,
minute thorns surround the flowers,
like mini towers, protecting them.
Dazzling evergreen beauty,
bougainvillea is a must for your garden.
04/07/19
Bougainvillea
Beneath the ashen cloudless sky
the rain subsided to reveal
a plant is budding from its womb
with many colors to behold
of orange, pink and peach or white
the cerise petals paper thin
they cling and climb with such embrace
the sun has risen with a blush
the bougainvillea is enhanced
it shields the drabness of a sight
of worn out fenceposts by a road
rekindling scenes of pleasant thoughts
a road where no one enters more
no one will share its glory here
as time goes by the bracts emerge
as little children huddling close
to someday grow and join their kin
and like a talisman they give
the magic only they can show
the beauty that this plant bestows
Bougainvillea Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Craig Cornish
March 28, 2019
Moon was not faraway.
It rejected the evidence against the rhyme
and proceeded to release
the poem.
The colored bracts of
bougainvillea, fall solemnly, to kiss
the grass. Spring was around
the corner.
Quizzing a stone, a dream
crashes in my hands;
becomes a tiger moth and
settles on your lips.
Future turns into a shell.
I pick it up from the beach of time.
Play with it for sometime and
give it away to my offspring.
It was the beginning. It was the end.
Satish Verma
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