POETS UNITED - THE SONG OF A SINGLE WORD

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

For this week’s ‘Midweek Motif’, Poets United explores the topic, ‘The Song of a Single Word’. The challenge to participants is: “Choose a word which sings to you. Write a poem from its lyrics – or write a lyrical poem in answer to it.” My word is ‘Celandine’, which I think is a beautiful sounding word describing two different flowers (Chelidonium majus and Ficaria verna), both a sunny yellow colour. My poem below:

Celandine

The longer days of warming breezes

Are days like draughts of heady wine;

No more the icy Winter freezes –

Now blooms the yellow celandine.

The cellar door will open wide,

The sun will heat the greening vine;

As hands in labour useful guide,

Smiles happily the golden celandine.

The swallows build their nests

And ondines sport in seaside brine;

Hearts faster beat, with cupid’s jests,

While blossoms sunny celandine.

I feel my quickened pulse and try

To utter now to the love of mine:

“You are my sun and apple of my eye,

You are my blonden celandine…”