savoured the roses in the garden
especially the climbing variety
because they had no bounds
and therefore represented
the wild passion of change
the juice of fresh blackberries
ran down as he picked and imbibed them
consumed by their nature
he never minded the prickly thorns
scratching at his skin and his soul
yet calluses on his hands and mind
sometimes took him to a darker place
and the undergrowth would not shelter
a numb kind of restlessness
from a peace not to be had
but he had always been able
to salve the wounds
sometimes picked at the scars
as if to remind himself
that he was frightfully alive
calendula gave him respite
chamomile reminded him
of the healing power of
patching up sores that
appeared out of nowhere
and out of somewhere
only to be seen through that lens
of refraction reflection
and parallel consciousness
as he trenched through the soil
his hands a trowel
and fingers and rake
he minded the earthworms
which sooner or later
would decompose what was left
16th May 2023
Calendula
Blending in perfectly
With the orange sky
Swaying
In the gloaming zephyr
Attracting a butterfly
A Reversible Poem Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Jesse Rowe
Date written and posted: 09/01/2018
Sunday's, heavy heat
heralded no warning
change of weather.
Golden finches
flitted from calendula
to zinnia
in no particular hurry.
Happy for the long
day and abundant seeds.
Monday morning drivers
stop behind
golden buses, impatiently
unaware of hungry birds.
A shiver
in the breeze
catches school children
and feasting finches
by surprise.
Autumn storm waits
off the coast
as the barometer
crashes, a clash
of seasons.
rain tomorrow,
Golden sun
shimmers through
whispering,
still green,leaves.
Summer skies
make no promise
beyond today.
If I could be butterfly
of your garden,
you will find my love
in the flowers
lavender, pansy, phlox, calendula
the little grass beneath
the ants with big seeds
in the shadow of the fallen petals
dreams of a wasp
the gurgling drops
staying late till noon
and sometimes in late mist
breaking my another cocoon
pricked along with the laughter
of the colors, the fragrance
my nature being a butterfly,
I will flutter around you.
It was a slant love.
Back to back,
lips to lips.
Lethal and dark
strong yet delicate
like spider’s web.
A dark side of the moon
sending conflicting
signals to bacilli-
of dirty lane, pink
and blue. My pug
licks the toes.
The pugmark on
green body. I am now
flowering. Hydrangeas.
•
The primrose half-asleep
Calendula was burning
in veins.
Unisex. The clenched
fist of a desire. I will
not accept a half-lip.
The chaste tree was sending
a bouquet of
steaming pistils.
Where the sun will sleep
tonight ? Till the love-making
was over on tangerines.
The loose skin now
invites the red ants, crawling,
wearing your nails.
Satish Verma
Persian jewelled salad
gold laced primulas
nchusa azurea cubes
calendula cream
corgette flower cheese
naturstium
please!