Ode to Lilacs

[alee_grrl]

The first Pride Poetry workshop I attended focused on Odes, and one of the poems we read was Ode to Smoked Salmon Jerky by Irène P. Mathieu At the end of the workshop we were given about 20 minutes or so to write our own Odes, or at least the start of one and a list of words to help prompt us. I ended up choosing the word lilacs and going from there. One of the things I loved about the poem above was the interweaving of present sensory moments with past memories and historical elements. I tried to do a similar thing with my poem, though I did not follow the exact format of the inspiring poem.

Ode to Lilacs

Born to the lilac city
Long before the lilacs would bloom
Yet their sweet fragrance remains
A stale perfume haunting my memories

This delicate flower brought
From the cradle of humanity
And carried far and wide
Finding a home here
Rooted deep in the valley of the sun’s children
Rooted deep in me

Lush blooms in early spring
Twilight clouds – white, pink, purple
Glowing against verdant leaves
Blooms brief but sweet, returning yearly
A scent of hope lingering in the back of my throat
Taking me back to a home rarely lived in
Yet still such a part of me

The scent fills my lungs and the colors fill my vision
Such brief and potent beauty
A token of spring
And a promise that renewal has come again.

A reminder that I may have wandered far from the roots I sprouted from
That I may be a late bloomer in so many ways
Yet every year I bloom just that much more.

Comments

[amejisuto]

That's wonderful! I could just about smell the lilacs!

[alee_grrl]

Thank you! <3 <3 <3