Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Still Growth

You stare at me from the picture frame
tongue stuck out, eyes like fire
through crystal.

I look down at my hand
dandelions hang their sun burst heads
now that they’ve been pulled
from a bed once filled
with petunias pink as
bubble gum.

But I haven’t been thinking about flowers
and have neglected my green thumb.
I know you would call that
sacrilege
but things still grow.

I put the dandelions in the vase
next to your photo stick my tongue out
at you.

© 2011 Joanne Elliott

21 comments:

  1. Fun! I've been known to put dandelions in vases...and I've been known to do it for sheer spite! Things do still grow...all too well! Yet another wonderful, weave Joanne. Is it bad I'm still smiling?

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  2. I like that you're still smiling. Thanks Natasha!

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  3. LOL I guess that's what you can call payback?
    Made me smile, thank you :)

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  4. I found this poem to be cheerful... the end did make me smile.. nice write

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  5. Sacrilege he'd say, yes.Hey but still you bring them flowers!

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  6. oh i like the petunias pink as
    bubble gum... great image...and yes...i'm smiling as well..

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  7. At first, I'll admit, I took a sad tone away from it...a second read-through, however, revised my initial interpretations. A smile, and a tongue, silliness and life - immortalized.

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  8. ha i like dandelions....kinda playful with the person in the pic and your response to them...your own life now...

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  9. Cianphelan, when I wrote it I felt this was a conflicted relationship. There may be some sadness and there is certainly play. The reader brings what they will.

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  10. I remember my 4th grade teacher pulling me aside and asking me to discreetly dispose of dandelion gifts collected at recess. AT the time, I felt honored she trusted me to keep her secret. Now, it seems kind of mean, lol. Wonderful poem, and I can see the conflict there for sure.

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  11. A picture of him sticking his tongue out? I think that is the feeling the subject gets from seeing his picture...... And she resents him, resents that she has spent her time fretting over that instead of spending it in the garden, and resents that he would find that a sacrilege. Yes, I would stick my tongue out too, as I tossed the picture, fame and all, into the rubbage.... great play on emotion here Joanne.......

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  12. things do keep growing although what grows does change doesn't it? nice metaphor.

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  13. Ouch I love this stick out my tong at you such a great ending and so well done keep smiling and I know things keep growing
    http://gatelesspassage.com/2011/10/18/farewell-my-three-legged-friend/

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  14. No pink petunias for this bloke
    Dandelions..yes, a good choice

    The French call them pissenlit
    means piss in the bed
    ...another good choice!

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  15. I like the way this one layers--subtle but sure, and the point is sharp and inserted with a skillful, devilish twist. We have a long stemmed sort of dandelion here that we let grow up in the ditch and leave unmowed because its beautiful. Great descriptor on the petunias.

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  16. But I haven’t been thinking about flowers
    and have neglected my green thumb.
    I know you would call that
    sacrilege
    but things still grow.

    I found these lines so impactful. Like Chris I felt both amused and sad together. Great write.

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  17. touching piece, finding the beauty in the absence of what once was is how we grow. Love dandelions, nice to see them in your words! ~ Rose

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  18. honest and touching,

    love your style of expression.
    smiles.
    :)

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  19. Yes, my garden grows without me at present while I work 7-day weeks, so I know the feeling. Also feel the metaphor of the price I pay for not cultivating my inner garden and sticking my tongue out at the world and all its demands. Thanks for the reminder!

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  20. My Great-Grandmother (German) made "Dandy-Lion" soup--Soooo Good. Especially during illness. Every time we went to her house, I got sick--grin!!!!

    As for you last comment (just above this one?) YEP! cultivate that inner garden, stick out your tongue at the world and "...LET THE WHIRLING DERVISHES WHIRL!"

    PEACE!

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