Poet. Writer. Photographer.
Dawn gently stirs
to find her,
single wildflower.
In his softest warmth
extended,
she slowly rises,
highlighted,
and across the shadow line
sends her cheer
to the fallen,
who, in turn,
becomes one
with the earth.
“Right behind you,”
she comfortingly whispers,
as a sea bird
breaks the ray,
or was it Sun
blinking his tear
away?
Poem and image ©LauraDenise
Let me be as wild
as a flower
sprouted from a seed
who bravely let go
of the breeze
to be free,
self-planting where
she pleased,
a blooming,
finally-realized
dream.
(I don’t have the photo yet…)
This song came up on my playlist as I was beginning my yard work after my first day back to my classroom when this small wildflower caught my eye. When you are a poet-photographer-believer-passionate teacher, such a thing can become life changing, lol. I was so moved by the way the sinking sun was highlighting the flower. After looking like a fool in my front yard (as usual) photographing it, I hit replay on the song while I mowed the lawn, thinking about my own personal journey. I knew I would need to stay up a little past bedtime to write about it.
First of all, good gracious what an absolutely beautiful and inspiring song! I had heard of the artist, but not that song. If you know anything about me, you know I have a thing for wildflowers. I just see such stories in them, even (especially?) in the “weeds.” So often underfoot and overlooked, I am drawn in to observe them up close; I like to portray them as majestically as possible, to showcase their extreme beauty.
I’ll let the poetry (and unedited images) take over from here…
“Colliding Light”
Little yellow wildflower,
it is your turn to shine,
can’t tell if the beams
are coming down as blessings
from heaven or bursting
forth from your soul inside.
Perhaps the two are being joined
since you finally put fear aside
and went after the dreams
you for too long denied
yourself. Yourself… your self…
So much time
you spent focusing on everyone
else…
Who are you? You’ve always known,
simply forgotten, buried too many
of your needs, kept them beneath
with doubt drought,
but need and dream seeds
eventually sprout;
there is no holding them
down.
You are in bloom,
your joy bursting,
and the Son
shines down
in happiness.
Yes, a mix
of bliss and blessings
I simultaneously see
when self-love and -care
are witnessed by
His Majesty.
Both ways,
the rays
reach…
and meet,
the radiance
of the heart
outwardly seen.
Words and images ©LauraDenise
Sometimes, an ember of sunshine
is all we need,
that bit of hopeful light
to safely keep
in a pocket,
in a palm,
in a locket,
in a song,
nourish it
until it again is strong
enough to fully illuminate
on its own,
for sometimes even the sun
gets weary
of using all of its energy
seemingly so futilely
and needs a brief eclipse
to recharge fully,
like a yellow wildflower
I gently hold
between fingers,
stem still intact
and whisper to it
that we can both
be a genuine star
in yet another non-
act.
Poem and image ©LauraDenise
I caught her today,
captured her existence,
the legendary Wildflower Fairy
paying my very own yard
a visit!
Her golden-backed silhouette
under sun’s guardianship
came forth;
chattered excitement
among the birds broke up
the morning chorus,
as she bent and whispered
something indiscernible
to the seedlings,
her dew-kissed face
and green-veined gown
revealing her as the Queen,
so I found myself
bowing like the blades and leaves,
for sometimes awe and magic
come disguised as
weeds
to grace us with a moment of
humility.
And during all of this,
I realized,
there was such peace
in me.
Laura Denise 