It’s Poetry Friday! Patricia has the roundup today at Reverie where she shares a beautiful golden hinge and some fantastic photos from Yosemite. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
This morning as I strolled through the garden checking on my bird boxes, I noticed that the peonies are about to burst. It always seems to happen so suddenly. One day they are tight knobs with just a hint of color, and the next they day they are bountiful blooms.
Peonies always bring back memories of my mother who loved the flowers but hated the ants that came with them. The smell of peonies always takes me back to my childhood, our row home filled with vases of peonies in the spring, and May processions at church.
Since last Sunday was Mother’s Day, I offer this cascade poem in honor of my mother and her love of peonies. In a cascade poem, each line from stanza one becomes the final line of each stanza afterword.
A Cascade of Peonies
buds, tight and unyielding
burst into blossoms, almost overnight
well-tended by sun and rain
ants and ladybugs
craving sticky sweetness, crawl onto
buds, tight and unyielding
as if by magic
at moon’s command, buds
burst into blossoms, almost overnight
I breathe deeply, filling my heart–
memories of my mother’s peonies
well-tended by sun and rain
Draft, 2024RoseCappelli
Thanks for stopping by.
Imagine the Possibilities 
A lovely vase of flowers, memory of your mother, and cascade poem in her honor. I don’t know much about peonies. We cannot grow them this far south. I love how your repeated lines wove seamlessly into the poem.
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Mother-memories…so powerful! Reminds me of “no mud, no lotus.” “No ants, no peonies?” Thank you for the cascade of loveliness! xo
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Mother-memories…so powerful! Reminds me of “no mud, no lotus.” “No ants, no peonies?” Thank you for the cascade of loveliness! xo
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I love this form Rose, and it’s perfectly suited for both a memory and this bountiful
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I love this form Rose, and it’s perfectly suited for both a memory and this bountiful
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I love this form, Rose. It’s a perfect choice for a memory and this bountiful blossom!
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I love this form, Rose. It’s a perfect choice for a memory and this bountiful blossom!
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