How a Simple Poem Describes One Woman's Favorite Flower and Missed Opportunities
My Grandma's Life in Three Stanzas
RED GERANIUMS
Life did not bring me silken gowns,
Nor jewels for my hair,
Nor signs of gabled foreign towns,
In distant countries fair,
But I can glimpse, beyond my pane, a green and friendly hill,
And red geraniums aflame upon my window sill.
The brambled cares of everyday,
The tiny humdrum things,
May bind my feet when they would stray,
But still my heart has wings
While red geraniums are bloomed against my window glass,
And low above my green-sweet hill the gypsy wind-clouds pass.
And if my dreamings ne'er come true,
The brightest and the best,
But leave me lone my journey through,
I'll set my heart at rest,
And thank God for home-sweet things, a green and friendly hill,
And red geraniums aflame upon my window will.
Martha Haskell Clark
(NOTE: Please forgive the delay in posting this week. The regular publication day is Tuesday; however, I was out of town with family and fell a bit behind.)
Good morning Friends,
Finding this poem was like a eureka moment. I was perusing my Mom’s favorite poetry book when I came across the title. Red geraniums hold a special meaning for me; they were my maternal Grandmother’s favorite flower and her heartfelt connection with her lost loved ones. (I mention this in a previous post from August.)
My siblings and I were incredibly close to her due to the time, energy, and love she bestowed on us. However, it was more than that. Her life story is unique, but not in some grandly impressive way. Instead, Grandma had humble beginnings that shaped who she was. In addition, she suffered a violent attack as a teenager that defined the entirety of her 82 years. That event had a trickle-down effect on those who loved her. In future posts, I’ll write more about that and other (happier) memories.
Thanks for being here.