The Darling Buds – Sunflower

At the edges of the mountains

the bones of old pulleys

graves of dead sluices

are piled underneath layers

of rockfall and regrowth

machinery of the gold-that-wasn’t

the people with fools’ dreams

left nothing of themselves

sometimes though

in the skeletons of old cabins

we children were never meant

to find

we would pull out old sunflower labels

from under the floorboards

the only gold that

any of us ever

found

Sunflower – False Riches

Every May, I do a series of poems based on Victorian flower meanings. Welcome to the Darling Buds.

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For more deceptive treasure, my fantasy novel, The Guests of Honor, is available here. Its sequel, With Honor Intact, can be found here.

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The Darling Buds – Primrose

The burnt timbers of the basement

were overgrown with grass and

alder but still her garden remained

amidst the encroaching forest

that last piece of the tame world

she had left

of visions of tea and gentle

conversation a burst of

defiant colour of bold

order spreading in the shadow

of a chaos she had never

chosen

Primrose – Woman

Every May, I do a series of poems based on Victorian flower meanings. Welcome to the Darling Buds.

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For more women and persistence of women, my fantasy novel, The Guests of Honor, is available here. Its sequel, With Honor Intact, can be found here.

The Darling Buds – Spring Crocus

As a small child

I did not understand

the connection between

the cold bulbs deeply buried as

the fall died

and the vibrant burst of life

as spring fought free of

the snow

all I knew was that

as the sun warmed

the world was painted fresh

and I could lie amongst the new

life and be

glad

Spring Crocus – Youthful Gladness

Every May, I do a series of poems based on Victorian flower meanings. Welcome to the Darling Buds.

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For more youthful energy, my fantasy novel, The Guests of Honor, is available here. Its sequel, With Honor Intact, can be found here.