A HALLMARK CARD MOMENT

I copied and pasted below the text of a "poem" (I think Elizabeth Barett Browning will turn in her grave if she reads my lines) and the accompanying illustrations for a brochure I made for a good friend - Teddy the florist.

Apparently, Teddy loves what I did. He went on to tell me that he showed these illustrations and the text to some of his friends who gushed at my "Hallmark card moment".

I doubt if I can do these again. It's so.... saccharine-filled, it gave me a toothache.

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THE WOMAN BLOOMS

She is born a hopeful promise,
the way the morning dew that
sits on a lily’s petal would say,
“it will be a beautiful day."

In the shade of the big tree
she’s the girl that swings with
her bundle of rhododendrons,
with the petals flying everywhere
and a blue bird sings its heartsong.

A young man’s heart skips a beat
or two as he gives her,
his lady love three red roses.
“Will you be my sweetheart?”
he asks, and her cheeks turn
crimson in delight.

Holding the bouquet of calla lilies
in her hands and smiling behind
her gossamer veil, she enchantingly
glides down the aisle to say, “I do.”

Now the woman blooms
into motherhood, and she gently smiles
at her daughter reaching to her
with a single white peony,
“Mama, I love you.”