TULIPS

A Tulip Garden

Guarded within the old red wall's embrace,
Marshalled like soldiers in gay company,
The tulips stand arrayed. Here infantry
Wheels out into the sunlight. What bold grace
Sets off their tunics, white with crimson lace!
Here are platoons of gold-frocked cavalry,
With scarlet sabres tossing in the eye
Of purple batteries, every gun in place.
Forward they come, with flaunting colours spread,
With torches burning, stepping out in time
To some quick, unheard march. Our ears are dead,
We cannot catch the tune. In pantomime
Parades that army. With our utmost powers
We hear the wind stream through a bed of flowers.

by Andrew Marvell

https://www.poetrysoup.com/famous/poems/tulip

Could I write a tulip poem myself? Not one that would compare to Andrew Marvell's obviously...   What is it I love about them?  Their beauty, their form, their colour, their abundance in Spring - their elegance.  Up they come, emerging from their bulb, each one a miracle of artistry and engineering.  The poet Dylan Thomas wrote of "the force that through the green fuse drives the flower".

I now have the privilege of knowing what that force is, it is the spirit of the Grand Creator, Jehovah.   But I can't manage a poem to compare to Marvell or Thomas. Wish I could. 

The flowers in the picture are the tulips Captain Butterfly bought me.

Monday was three Zoom sessions - 1 for him and 2 for me.  John and family joined us briefly from the North West coast of Oz, which looked lovely.  He assures me there are no salties (saltwater crocs) up there, and I hope he is right. Tuesday was the dentist... the good news is that he said my teeth and gums were were healthy and he does not need to see me for another six months.  

I got in a bit of a muddle over the flower lady on Wednesday. I went on my own - my usual companion had her first physio that morning, and my two standby sisters were not available.  My chauffeur (Captain B in his peaked cap and smart uniform) delivered me at ten and was to pick me up at 11:30.  Or so I thought.

However, at 10:30 there was a ring at the door, and there was the Captain himself to pick me up.  I was sure I had said 11:30, but he was sure I had said 10:30.  So who knows, given our ages?  I think he is getting a little deaf now, and I am getting more absent-minded by the day.

Anyway, he stopped and had a chat with the flower lady, so they now know each other.  He liked her, and hopefully she liked him.  (I don't know why anyone wouldn't.)

There was a magpie after our Hawkmoth this morning. It, the moth, is presently living on our balcony wall. I quickly opened the door and the magpie flew off. But I do feel guilty. It probably needed it to feed its babies... 

But for sure the moth does not want to be baby food either.

What a horrible situation we, all the earthly creation, are in since the loss of Eden.   In harmony with that thought, I just popped out before posting this, and the moth has gone.  Whether as food, or flown off I do not know. But I wasn't able to stand guard all morning. I had the Abel and Cole delivery to sort out, a bathroom to clean, studying, washing and some witnessing letters to do.

Captain B just rang from The Field and was quite upset to hear that above bit of news.  He said that next time this happens I must pick the moth up and put it in among the geraniums...  but have you see how big a Hawkmoth is!