It was the date February 14th (Valentine’s Day) that led to this week’s topic, bouquet.
Valentine’s Day also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration to romance and love in many regions of the world.
Interesting that the poetic expression, brought up counter themes to love and romance; abuse, expectation, conditioning and patriarchal society.
What does it stir up for you? What are your thoughts?
Next week the word is ‘tolerance’. Let us see where that takes us.
Bouquet
Bouquet or bucket
Depends on how you pronounce it
It can be frrrrench ou Française
Or just plain English malaise
What does it mean..
A bunch of flowers?
A valentine
Roses and love powers
Is that what it means
It can be a trap
To give something nice
To expect something back
So not always welcome
Particularly when attached
To expectations
Often mismatched
Bouquets can be charged
At a premium price
Where the value is not questioned
Trying to appear as nice
Bouquets when given
Can be so barbed
When delivered by mouth
With so much disregard
Bouquets, a collection
Of conditioned ritual actions
Creating so much meaning
When that meaning might be nothing
Often a bouquet
Is thrown in a bucket
Either to care
Or to just say f$#% it
When given with love
And care for what is wanted
It can certainly be a moment
When two people can be bonded
(NRS)
Bouquet
That dreadful time again,
They want to drag me up,
I’m not interested.
But hearing the torturous jabber
About ‘that poor girl’
Nearly 40
She’ll probably be alone forever…
Drives me to consider
Whether I demonstrate a faint desire to care
And share the arena with others like me
Waiting for their Prince Charming
To take their hand
And love them til death do they part
The lock in contract
Privilege flattery
Stemmed from a rose
Until the door does close
Why does this tradition continue?
If it wasn’t that I love the beauty of a bouquet
David Austin’s, gypsophila, peony’s and more
I’d give it a miss that’s for sure…
But not today,
I decide to dive,
And how about that – I survive!
Many happy onlookers
Condescending excitement in their eyes,
‘Maybe it’s her turn next’…
I bring a wry smile…
My real reason, in disguise…
Grateful for my deeper wise.
TLaB 14th Feb 22
She’s a woman standing tall
No longer afraid to raise her voice
She lays her convictions at our feet.
Her anger, disgust and distaste
She displays, raw upon her face
It’s her honest heartfelt anger
That can’t be ignored or pushed away
Or called impolite and disrespectful
She is a woman using her personal power
To speak up and question our morality
To pressure for change and accountability
This spokeswoman calling for unity
Unafraid of the consequences politically
She knows full well her voice for reform
On this stage will soon be gone
As the media spotlight moves on
On her shoulders others will stand
To stop this abuse again and again
No more words it’s time for action.
Stop this hypocrisy and using bluff.
Our battle cry is “enough is enough”
We won’t let this moment be tamed
We the victims not only praise
We thank her with our bouquets
This woman who is full of Grace
Is standing tall for the human race.
PJR 14.02.2022