Wednesday 3 August 2016

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…”

17 comments:

  1. similar in color to the butter cups - we used to hold them to our chins to show a bit of sunshine - i wonder if your love would know the word, but being compared to the sun - i think just might get you a long ways -- in love.

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  2. Love the passion of this...it has a classic love poem feel to it...your opening quote is wonderful as well...thank you!

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  3. A very romantic poem that fits perfectly to establish a mood.

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  4. As sunny, warm and beautiful as the flower described. Very lovely.

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  5. So warm, the sun of love. I enjoyed reading this so much. A beautiful song.

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  6. This was overflowing with gorgeous, sumptuous lyricism. Beautiful!

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  7. in winter it feels so warm to dream of such sunny flowers...beautifully rhythmic..

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  8. Lovely piece, Nicholas. Captures the warmth of love and the season, compared contrasted wonderfully.

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  9. Such a beautifully lyrical piece Nicholas :D

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  10. "Hearts faster beat, with cupid’s jests,
    While blossoms sunny celandine."

    How can I not think of Puck, searching for and playing with the magical flower?! The song is worthy of its arrival and all it brings.

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  11. This has a lovely, ballad-y feel, and I adore the last line.

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  12. Oh I love that you chose such a lovely spring flower....and such a lyrical, romantic ode!

    Donna@LivingFromHappiness

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  13. What a beautiful poem, Nicholas, and a beautiful flower/word. I like how you have rhymed the poem and you hint at German/Teutonic themes with the inclusion of the "ondines" and "blonden". The last line is wonderful :-)

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  14. So nice to read a gentle piece of writing; and with a lyrical feel too: thank you

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  15. Beautiful words and poetry, very much enjoyed.

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  16. When I read this poem some sort of glee covered my mind.

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