Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Beauty in Despair

Foreclosed, the ramshackle house
with moving van curbside.

Yet, azaleas and holly bushes
line the front flower bed--

thick glossy leaves
with serrated edges
a dare
to reach in and pick
not the evil red berries

but the blossoms
like tissue paper--
deep pink, dainty buds

a chuckle or a tease,
depending on
perspective.


~~

Prompt inspirations:
Poetry Jam- It's All About Flowers
PU Verse First- Move (no more than 20 lines)
3WW- chuckle, evil, serrated

38 comments:

Brian Miller said...

smiles....great gain comes with risk does it not? to get the blossom one must face the pricklies...

yes depending on if you are the one put the arm in or not...ha

Susan said...

Always "a chuckle or a tease," a threat or a promise, a blessing and a curse. Always a fragile story hidden in thorns. Very fine, tense.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Tempting!

As you so often do, you made me see and feel it. :)

Susan Lindquist said...

Such beauty that is oblivious to the heartache of loss ... great irony in this piece ... is that the right word?

Sherry Blue Sky said...

The house empty.....the flowers blooming - poignant. Love the idea of the blooms "like tissue paper", so fragile.

Unknown said...

I'm with Rosemary; I felt like I was there! Nicely done.

Unknown said...

I'm with Rosemary; I felt like I was there! Nicely done.

Sheilagh Lee said...

well put, I love this.

Bethe77 said...

A loss and the tempting to take of the beauty being left behind.

Anonymous said...

i see the beauty :) and it weighs way more. beautiful write

Anonymous said...

i see the beauty :) and it weighs way more. beautiful write

TCPC said...

A chuckle or a tease! ah well all in the game :)

Anonymous said...

A definite smile!

Grace said...

I like the blossoms like tissue paper ~ Beside the empty house, they can look inviting ~

Unknown said...

the beauty in the flowers such a strong contrast to the feeling of the foreclosure.

Mary said...

Even a ramshackle house in foreclosure can have beauty...I am sad for the people who had to leave their beloved home.

LaTonya Baldwin said...

You had me at the title. I love a good title even though at times I fail to give enough care to creating them.

This works. Very nice.

LaTonya Baldwin said...

You had me at the title. I love a good title even though at times I fail to give enough care to creating them.

This works. Very nice.

Kathe W. said...

azeas do have tissue like blossoms- lovely yet sad write. I had to think of the gardeners having to leave.

Helen said...

I've just returned from a quick visit to 'the big city' ... so many foreclosures in desperate need of a few blooming flowers. Nice write, Laurie!

Vandana Sharma said...

yes beauty and perception all lies in beholder's eye and mind:)

alan1704 said...

Blossoms are always worth the pain and the patience. Beauty is there all around us, if we want to see it. Excellent poem.

Unknown said...

abandonment filled with the colours of flowers, evil or not but it sure does look beautiful.

kaykuala said...

a chuckle or a tease,
depending on
perspective

Either way can be accepted depending not just on mood but also how close is the relationship! Nicely Laurie!

Hank

Panchali said...

"a chuckle or a tease,
depending on
perspective..." --Ah, its all part of everyday life.
Well done, Laurie. Beautiful work.

Peggy said...

I like the details in this. Azaleas are so lovely--they are somewhat tricky to grow here in our dry climate with clay soil. And ouch those holly leaves!

Steven Federle said...

Wonderful imagery! I have seen this sight much too often too. Great poem.

Eileen T O'Neill ..... said...

Laurie,

Sad to know the internal perspective is empty, yet life continues externally...Very effective words .

Eileen

Jennifer Wagner said...

We see a lot of these foreclosures around here...too many...yet there is beauty in those flowers still blooming there.

ds said...

Definitely depends on the perspective. I like the juxtaposition of the (empty, forlorn) foreclosed house with the thriving garden around it. There is too much of that in this world, and not just literally. Thank you.

Dave King said...

Lovely!

Jeeves said...

Lovely..

Anonymous said...

quite lovely laurie...gentle.

Suzy said...

but the blossoms like tissue paper--
deep pink, dainty buds. That reminded me of a time at work when we made some tissue paper cherry blossoms to represent Japan. Brought back a nice memory.
Dropping by from the Verse First Linkup

Margaret said...

and how long will they remain beautiful without a caretaker? Lots of Yin/Yang in this poem!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

A dare worth taking, I venture.

artbyrae said...

but the blossoms
like tissue paper--
deep pink, dainty buds

a chuckle or a tease,
depending on
perspective.

PERSPECTIVE is some times very important for it totally changes the picture

Sarav said...

Azaleas are gorgeous and worth the risk, for sure. So sad to see foreclosures, you can almost feel the house's grief.