Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The Tuesday Platform


DAHLIA.
Symbolism: Elegance and Dignity.

I loved thee for thy high-born grace,
Thy deep and lustrous eye;
For the sweet meaning of thy brow,
And for thy bearing high.
I loved thee for thy stainless truth,
thy thirst for higher things;
For all that to our common lot
A better temper brings.
And are they not all thine—still thine?
Is not thy heart as true?
Holds not thy step its noble grace?
Thy cheek its dainty hue? –
And have I not an ear to hear?
And a cloudless eye to see?
And a thirst for beautiful human thought,
That first was stirred by thee?
            WILLIS.

Poem from The Bouquet: Containing the Poetry and Language of Flowers, 1844. Photos (c) Marian Kent.


Welcome to the Tuesday Platform, the weekly open stage for sharing poems in the Imaginary Garden. Please link up a poem, old or new, and spend some time this week visiting the offerings of our fellow writers. 

Share * Read * Comment * Enjoy
 

9 comments:

Magaly Guerrero said...

Such stunning blooms...

brudberg said...

There is something so special with the Dahlia, blooming when all the other blooms have left. Joining with a haibun today (yes there is a haiku there...)

Timoteo said...

Happy bloomin' Tuesday, Toads!

Jim said...

Such pretty dahlias, I envy your green thumb. Also, Marian, your nice camera and your ability of composing. The poem was a nice choice for the flowers' welcome, or vice versa.
..

Jim said...

p.s. My post was a second, late for last week's "Death is a Lady" writings. Since I, a procrastinator, am just now working on our 2015 Income Tax return the timing was okay for a post-over. It is due October 15 after getting a time extension last April. We have some things that will interfere a bit but I should make it okay.
..

Marian said...

Taxes?! Ugh.
I should say that I took the photos (on my android phone) but did not grow these spectacular blooms. If only! These photos were taken on the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, one of my very favorite places: http://www.bridgeofflowersmass.org/
Love the dahlias. In all their showy wonderfulness!

Kerry O'Connor said...

Thanks for the beautiful flower and poem today, Marian. (I had one of those awful moments when I wondered if it was my turn...) I have entered one of the busiest times of the school calendar - enormously stressful - so I have barely a coherent thought in my head these days.

Much love to all..

Stacie Eirich said...

What a beautiful flower. Thanks so much for sharing -- my heart needed that this morning. :-) I've linked up my response to the weekend prompt, since I was late with it. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Helen said...

Years ago ~ my first haiku (sorry Shay) ... I must get back to the business of writing!!