Japanese anemones

"I brought you these.
Anemones. From the garden.
Better last year"
blanched
blank faced
gone with the wind
my sentences tap out
coded conversation
- then a flicker
of recognition
"Japanese"
"Comes up like thunder Outer china.."*
Kipling and plants woman buried deep and accurate

*Japanese anemones originally from China. text quote from “Mandalay” by Kipling

On this 6th anniversary at dVerse am squeezing in 44 words for the Monday quadrille “Flicker

23 thoughts on “Japanese anemones

    1. well spotted Frank – that was an accidental line that turned out just right

  1. “my sentences tap out
    coded conversation
    – then a flicker
    of recognition”
    I especially love these lines!

    1. ahh yes Lilian – speaking to the the elderly with memory loss is almost like sending morse code

  2. Isn’t it strange and wonderful what brings a person up out of the fog of forgetfulness! Minimalist, ink brush strokes on rice paper, this poem.

  3. After reading your comments I realized what I missed in that first read-through. Such a poignant moment, one I am so familiar with. It’s those tiny things that bring surprises, flickers of awareness.

    1. it is a subtle reference Victoria – and touches tender spots

  4. “blanched
    blank faced
    gone with the wind”—-This is so poignant. I have seen such a face in my life too. And it’s truly wonderful to gift such a person ‘a flicker of recognition’. A heartfelt poem Laura.

    1. those flickers are all of that is left of connection p.s. ‘gone with the wind’ – anemones are also called windflowers

    1. glad the disjointed staccato tempo came across as intended Bryan!

    1. Thank you – the quadrille format fitted these sad encounters

    1. Thank you Paul – Guess consciousness is a flicker we can only hope has a regular current until switch off!

    1. Kipling’s one liner describes these Chinese windflowers well 😉

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