Poetry Friday – This is What the Jasmine Flower Knows

Today is Poetry Friday, hosted by Elisabeth at Unexpected Intersections. Elisabeth wrote a poem about what the marmot knows. Check out the other posts on her blog and see what other Poetry Friday poets are up to. Many are following the prompt inspired by Jane Yolen’s “What the Bear Knows.” Read more here on Mary Lee Hahn’s blog post.

This week I helped plan a surprise Zoom party for my dear friend and ministry partner. One stop I made was for her favorite flowers. I went to a little shop just outside the Hindu temple and purchased a string of jasmine flowers. The shop keeper, Raj, gave me a snip for my hair. (In my thin hair, it didn’t stay very long, but I do keep it nearby enjoying the scent as a work.)

Today we had the surprise Zoom party with friends and her family members, some in India and some here in Bahrain. I wrote my poem for my friend.

Ode to My Friend Vinolia,
Who Has Learned to Live Life Well
From What the Jasmine Flower Knows
To light up the room with love
And spread gentle perfume of
This gift of God, beautiful and pure,
Strong and full, savoring to cure
This is what the jasmine knows
Comfort of sopping up your tears of prayer
Later the warm caress of hugging your hair
as you hold the gaze of your mum and dad,
adult sons on life’s launching pad,
husband and daughter by your side–
The shepherding Way as your forever guide.
This is what Jasmine knows this year,
as your milestone birthday appears.

 

 

22 thoughts on “Poetry Friday – This is What the Jasmine Flower Knows

  1. I can almost smell the jasmine in this post, one of my favorite scents. Beautiful poem for your friend. I hope you gave it to her.

  2. Ooh – I can just imagine the sweet scent of those jasmine. Happy birthday to your friend, a poem is an even lovelier gift than a party!

      1. I like your poem (and you gifting poetry) much more than the flower. My mum has always loved jasmine – but it is much too strong and sweet for me. We (Jasmine and I) rarely share a room, let alone a hairdo! 🙂

        1. Thank you, Kat! I can definitely appreciate that! I received some flowers for my birthday, that I had to enjoy only on my front porch while they lasted, as they were too to stay in our home.

  3. Friendship and flowers are a beautiful pair. I could sense that this friend is dear. Beautiful poem:).

  4. I love seeing those jasmine flowers in your and your friend’s hair. The scent is so special & I don’t get to smell it very often! And I love “The shepherding Way as your forever guide” – just right for a circle of family & friends!

  5. What gifts! The friend, the poem, and the prayers. Absolutely lovely all around.

  6. What a beautiful gift for your friend, Denise! Thanks for sharing with all of us here.

  7. You and your gift are the ‘best buds’! Wish blogs had smell-o-vision. 🙂

  8. Lovely post and jasmine poem Denise, such a special tribute poem for your friend. I love the pic of the jasmine flowers in her hair, and how sweet that the shop owner gave you some also! I have a painting with a jasmine vine in it that I painted a long time ago while at the Chicago Botanic Gardens, although my jasmine flowers were turquoise in color. Here’s a link to the painting if you want to take a peek: https://www.michellekogan.com/paintings/africaamerica-conserve-2012-watercolor-30-x-22 Thanks!

    1. Michelle, thank you for sharing. I love those beautiful paintings. I hadn’t heard of jasmine growing turquoise and in such lovely clusters. There are many things I don’t know! Lovely.

  9. Denise, I like that you wrote a poem for your friend. I am sure she will cherish it as much as the smell of jasmine. These “light up the room with love”-your love and friendship.

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