I’ve noticed it every day for a week. A golden poppy growing through a crack in the pavement. Incomparable beauty surviving insane traffic, the stink of asphalt, unbreathable air, impossible odds. Seeing it standing there, my impulse is to ascribe to it superhero attributes like courage, defiance, strength, fearlessness. I desperately want to identify with this Rocky Balboa of plants, use it as an example to help me navigate the cracks in my own pavement. But I can’t. The only attribute for this tiny flame that makes any sense is sweet ignorant bliss. And perhaps that is the perfect lesson.
Swapan k Banerjee
26/3/2021 09:58:42 am
Jim,
Jim Woessner
27/3/2021 12:53:41 am
I read your article in The Statesman. Good writing. And, it turns out I had two copies of Wislawa Szymborska's poem Birthday on my bookshelves. So, thanks for those. And thanks for the comments. Always appreciated.
Sivan Pillai
26/3/2021 01:48:17 pm
The flower image is so beautiful, Jim.
Padmini Krishnan
26/3/2021 10:49:06 pm
The golden poppy has been untouched by all the negativities and still survives. Perhaps you can take it as an inspiration for miracles. A very nice read.
Sue Clayton
27/3/2021 03:41:04 am
The places that plants and flowers can thrive continues to amaze me. Resilience to propagate is indeed a miracle.
Fliss Zakaszewska
27/3/2021 09:42:03 pm
Love it, Jim - and the last line wraps it up beee-ooo-tifully.
Mary Wallace
28/3/2021 07:16:52 am
Perhaps it is at that Jim. Just doing the best you can and ignoring the distractions.
Susan F. Reid
29/3/2021 08:38:12 pm
Beautifully written. In Baltimore City, MD, USA, it is not uncommon to see tiny white flowers sprouting from greenery growing out of a water pipe under the pavement and emptying into the street. Greenery growing out of rain spouts is common, too. Comments are closed.
|
"Classic"
|