Hearts and Flowers - Bruce Dawe

for Liz a natural florist

Flowers have no trumpets at their coming,
No ritual pomp and ceremony to declare
The beauty which they bring, no army’s drumming
To thunder their uniqueness to the air …
Some flowers are winter visitors appearing
(Like some family members who will steer
Towards us when we find less cause for cheering
And the elements are otherwise chill and drear).
But, come what may, each season has its blessing,
And buds obey the nature of their kind
– While we, with science, try to keep nature guessing,
That motherly soul has other things in mind.
So, in the gardens of our daily living,
Good deeds, like flowers, aren’t always based upon
Ceremonies to reward us in our giving,
Like flower-shows on which the world’s sun shone,
For each of us should wear (as inspiration)
The flowers of others’ giving, as a spur
To nurturing in year-long cultivation,
All the flowers that can be, and that ever were …