Hibiscus–dVerse Quadrille


Today, I’m hosting at dVerse Poets’ Pub for Monday Quadrille #16. A Quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words, no more, no less, exclusive of the title. I’m asking you to use any form of the word OPEN within the poem itself. Here’s mine:

Photo: V, Slotto

Photo: V, Slotto

hibiscus

in awe-tinged silence
i watch petals unfurl
opening upon beauty
cached within—
softness charged with
life-giving energy.

sun glows
through flower-skin,
brings to mind
moments we shared
in the desert,
garden-joy i cherish.

would that i could
unlock memories
hidden within
your beautiful soul.

Please join us at 3:00 PM, EDT.

36 thoughts on “Hibiscus–dVerse Quadrille

  1. Rosemary Nissen-Wade says:

    Gorgeous!

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  2. Imelda says:

    I like the idea of a soul opening like a flower – to show its beauty and to see beauty. 😊

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  3. Lovely and lyrical. Really enjoyed this!

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  4. frankhubeny says:

    The idea of unlocking memories within others is interesting. I usually think of unlocking memories only within myself, but I can see that as a limited perspective on the power of memories.

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  5. unlock memories
    hidden within
    your beautiful soul.

    Such blooms do bring back wonderful memories of togetherness!

    Hank

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  6. Truedessa says:

    A beautiful flower and it would be lovely to open the mind to all the beauty locked inside.

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  7. Beautiful poem for a spectacular flower. 🙂

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  8. One of my favorite pArts of
    seaSonS noW and the garden
    i helped plant with Nature that
    surrounds my yard.. is a different
    color flower for everyday of the year
    to capture and share around the world..
    juSt ’cause i can and will..
    and sure.. a flower
    colors the
    same of
    can and will..
    only humans
    limit the colors
    iN Nature of God’s paint..
    a Mountain of Love has no fearless
    summit for the colors of Love Open..:)

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  9. Bryan Ens says:

    Oh to unlock that beauty once again. Your tags on this poem help to give it so much depth. Dementia is such a heartbreaking condition, and you speak the pain most powerfully.

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  10. maria says:

    Awwee.. this is beautiful poem and flower. Hibiscus, in our country, is called Gumamela. Thanks for the prompt, Victoria. 🙂

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  11. […] the bar today is Victoria with her delicate poem,  Hibiscus. The challenge is to write a poem in exactly 44 words (excluding title) inspired by the word OPEN. […]

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  12. kim881 says:

    A delicate flower of a Quadrille, Victoria! I love the photograph.

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  13. Josslyn Rae Turner says:

    “would that i could
    unlock memories
    hidden within
    your beautiful soul.”

    Wow! This is a beautiful ending. ❤

    Like

  14. Sumana Roy says:

    word petals opening true beauty of the speaker’s inner world…sooo love the beautiful images here…my favorite lines have already been repeatedly quoted…

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  15. Mish says:

    I am mesmerized by your poetry, Victoria.
    As this exquisite flower opened before my eyes…I felt the joy but also the agony of those irretrievable memories.

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  16. othermary says:

    What a delicate and profound beauty in your words.

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  17. […] #16 for dVerse, hosted by Victoria, who prompts us to open to our inner muse using the word “open” in our 44 […]

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  18. […] This is the second poem I’m posting for my Quadrille prompt at dVerse Poets’ Pub. A Quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words and for this week’s prompt your poem should use the word “OPEN.” My first submission is found here. […]

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  19. thotpurge says:

    sun glows
    through flower-skin,….so lovely.

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  20. Splendid, evocative words, with just the right photo to match the heart and soul of your poem. I too used the words “unfurl” and “petals,” in the poem I penned before reading yours. I guess that’s to be expected with “open” as a prompt word. 🙂

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  21. […] Quadrille #16 and our dVerse host, Victoria, who prompts our inner must to use the word “open” in our 44 […]

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  22. Brian says:

    I went over to your website to understand the context underneath the poem. This is very moving to me in so many ways. The rain fell on our identical Hibiscus this afternoon.

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  23. Anita Lubesh says:

    Lovely diaphanous quality using the sun. Beautiful.

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  24. ihatepoetry says:

    Gorgeous and penetrating. Loved the ideas here.

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  25. Sanaa Rizvi says:

    Oh this is soo tender.. 😀 so beautifully worded! Love the image of the ‘sun glowing through flower-skin’ ❤ Beautifully penned.

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

    Like

  26. Bodhirose says:

    I love this flower and actually live on Hibiscus Avenue! After reading this, it doesn’t indicate that you had any trouble opening to this prompt, Victoria.

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  27. Thanks for a wonderful prompt and such a brilliant poem of flowering. The Hibiscus is one of my favorite flowers. 🙂

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  28. Beautiful and romantic – and a glorious photo!

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  29. There is a sadness to this – those locked secrets, that can’t be reached. You have made me thoughtful.

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  30. Glenn Buttkus says:

    Your last stanza & first line is killer–poem feels bigger than a Q44; nice.

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  31. MarinaSofia says:

    What a beautiful picture! And I love the repeated softness (of sunshine through the petals, the petals unfurling, a beautiful gentle soul – or so we deduce) in the poem.

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  32. whimsygizmo says:

    Great word today, Victoria. Love this, especially:
    “sun glows
    through flower-skin”

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  33. kanzensakura says:

    Oh! I love how you have the sun shining through the flower petals and how you equate the opening of it to the finding the secrets of the soul of the person you love. Excellent prompt, amazing poem.

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  34. Simply lovely, with a hint of sadness.

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  35. I love that image of sun glow through the flower skin… and how it works with you image.

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  36. lynn__ says:

    Gorgeous photo and poetic thoughts, Victoria! (I hope io join dVerse with a quadrille later).

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