On The Burden of Flowering

Posted on June 11, 2019 by robert okaji

On the Burden of Flowering

Even the cactus wren
surrenders itself
to the task,

though it rarely listens
to my voice. How do clouds
blossom day to day

and leave so little
behind? The bookless shelf
begs to be filled, but instead

I watch the morning age
as the sun arcs higher.
Yesterday you said

the mint marigold
was dying. Today it
stands tall. Yellowing.

“On the Burden of Flowering” first appeared in Panoply in August 2016, and is included in my chapbook, From Every Moment a Second.

20 thoughts on “On The Burden of Flowering”

ksbeth on June 10, 2019 at 7:03 am said:

So beautiful

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 10, 2019 at 7:04 am said:
  
  Thanks very much, Beth!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
merrildsmith on June 10, 2019 at 7:14 am said:

How indeed? Beautiful, Robert.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 10, 2019 at 2:53 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Merril!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
candidkay on June 10, 2019 at 11:56 am said:

And now, as an avowed bookworm, I wanted to know what you filled with bookless shelf with:). Of course.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 10, 2019 at 2:55 pm said:
  
  In my world, bookless shelves seldom remain bookless. Piles of books appear in my presence! Or so it seems…
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
  - candidkay on June 10, 2019 at 6:56 pm said:
    
    We are simpatico that way, my friend.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply ↓
    - robert okaji on June 11, 2019 at 2:24 pm said:
      
      🙂
      
      LikeLike
      
      Reply ↓
onecarriage on June 10, 2019 at 1:02 pm said:

Elegant and refined as ever. Bookless shelves are ravenous indeed.

LikeLiked by 2 people

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 10, 2019 at 2:55 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Craig. They are indeed ravenous!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
pen2me on June 11, 2019 at 4:13 am said:

coollllll ! ☺☻

please do Follow my blog

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 11, 2019 at 2:30 pm said:
  
  I’ll be sure to visit.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
  - pen2me on June 14, 2019 at 11:13 pm said:
    
    😀👍💙
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply ↓
bingingonabudget on June 11, 2019 at 5:39 am said:

Very beautiful writing, thanks for posting 🙂

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 11, 2019 at 2:24 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
pen2me on June 11, 2019 at 6:12 am said:

Cool one 😊

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 11, 2019 at 2:29 pm said:
  
  Thank you.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
  - pen2me on June 14, 2019 at 11:13 pm said:
    
    💙👍😀
    
    LikeLike
    
    Reply ↓
A-Jay on June 11, 2019 at 6:25 am said:

Awesome, indeed. Besides, who will answer the question about the clouds, Nature?

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on June 11, 2019 at 2:25 pm said:
  
  Thanks, A-Jay. Who indeed?
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓

O at the Edges

Musings on poetry, language, perception, numbers, food, and anything else that slips through the cracks.

On The Burden of Flowering

“On the Burden of Flowering” first appeared in Panoply in August 2016, and is included in my chapbook, From Every Moment a Second.

20 thoughts on “On The Burden of Flowering”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

“On the Burden of Flowering” first appeared in Panoply in August 2016, and is included in my chapbook, From Every Moment a Second.

Share this:

Like this:

Related

20 thoughts on “On The Burden of Flowering”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply