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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Thanks, Margaret.
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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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Thanks, Irene.
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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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Thanks, Patricia.
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I am reading this outside and can almost smell the blossoms. Gorgeous.
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Thanks, Annette.
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Such a lovely poem in tribute to your mom and beautiful peonies (you are lucky to be able to grow them)! Love the cascade form too — you pulled it off brilliantly. :)
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Thanks, Jama.
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I, too, have lots of mom memories and peony memories woven together in my heart! (Mine are still pretty tight buds, but we’ve got some warmer weather coming…)
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I’m thinking mine might pop this weekend.
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Beautiful, Rose. This is a form new to me. I have to get a notebook out to keep track of the forms that I want to try this week. I’ve never had lucky growing peonies. Love how their tight buds, open into those gorgeous flowers. I could almost smell them while I read your poem!
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Thanks, Carol.
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Gorgeous poem Rose, you’ve woven the lines seamless together! Thanks for sharing the cascade form too. I love peonies, but not so crazy about the ants either…
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Gorgeous was the word that came to my mind, too – just lovely, Rose! Great job with this poem form. Beautiful memories of your mother as well. I think of my daughter when I see peonies, as we had those for her wedding… special blooms for sure!
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Rose, I, too, thought “gorgeous” as I read and reread this poem! This form, the cascade, is new to me but what you have crafted is so lovely, and the “burst into blossoms” resonates and repeats throughout. A special tribute to your Mom, a gorgeous poem, and a fantastic photo! xo
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Beautiful, Rose. This is a good reminder to check on our peonies, who behave the same way.
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What a lovely photo to go along with a spectacular poem. Memories of Mom are perfect with both.
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This form is perfect for your poem, and I love the idea of a “cascade of peonies” in both senses. I also love peonies, from those first grasping hand leaves to the bold blooming! Yours are far more advanced than ours, as we don’t even have buds yet. The smell is intoxicating, isn’t it!?
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Yes, I love the smell of peonies! The picture is from a few years ago, but a few have bloomed in the past few days.
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So neatly crafted, Rose–I think this is a great form for you, and how you link it at the last moment to your mom–lovely!
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