
Tea With Florence
It wasn’t her real name
but if I had named her,
her name would’ve been Florence.
Her skin was as pale
as proper writing paper.
Paper from Florence, undoubtedly.
We sat in her garden,
the magnolia blossoms
hanging on a last heavy scent
before spring pulled
green out of its limbs,
transforming it into a proper tree.
Florence drank mint tea,
strong, and it lit up her
cheeks as if brushed with cherry dust.
She grew the mint in pots,
roots forcing freedom and,
fastening deep into the soil beyond
and under her next door
neighbour’s fence, who
hacked at it as if fighting the Hydra.
I drank chamomile tea,
a hardy plant that bullies
fescue to retreat before its will.
My grandmother grew chamomile, I told Florence, and mint and verbena, arugula and beaded poppies, chives, thyme, ginger and cardamon.
Yes, Florence nodded,
But it was her growing
feverfew that brought grief to us all.
A hedge wife shouldn’t grow feverfew.
People will always think you’re a witch.
for dVerse “Colours”. I chose the colour “Tea with Florence”. Photo by Landis Brown on Unsplash. ©Misky 2022 Shared with #amwriting on Twitter. Also written for GoDogGo Cafe “The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One“.
18 responses to “23.03.22 dVerse Colours”
A lovely poem. The name Florence always takes me back to watching Magic Roundabout with the kids.
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❤️
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This is fascinating. I looked up fescue, hedge wife and feverfew. Perhaps this means I am not a witch. I think the message from the witch hunts was close to “how dare you heal?”
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My maternal grandmother was a herbalist. Mum was Pentecostal, so thought it all bunk and witchery. My sister and I both know a fair bit about herbs, but not in a qualification sort of way.
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That’s pretty cool… knowing about herbs, I mean. Our PM is Pentecostal. He’s not a good representative.
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Oddly, my sister and I went our own way when it came to religion. Neither of us followed her example.
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I love the imaginative journey this prompt inspired in you, Misky!
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This is amazing! I felt like I was sitting there having tea, too.
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before spring pulled
green out of its limbs,
transforming it into a proper tree.
I just love this stanza. I love the whole poem, actually, I loved the way the story unfolded, and the way we got to know Florence a little. those herb names are wonderful, too.
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Thanks, Sarah. It was a brilliantly fun prompt to write to, so thanks for that.
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I love the tea story and whole poem specially with the list of the spices and herbs. How interesting to learn of feverfew.
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Thanks, Grace!
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This is just such a lovely poem, in the narration, in the flow and rhythm, in the echoes from the past, the teas and herbs, the interaction between Florence’ and you…I am not sure I have read much poetry crafted to such a fine art as this…thank you very much.
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I absolutely love this especially; “She grew the mint in pots, roots forcing freedom and, fastening deep into the soil beyond.” Gorgeous work done ❤️❤️
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Thanks so much!
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wow – Misky – I would love to read more about this character you’ve created!
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“Florence drank mint tea,
strong, and it lit up her
cheeks as if brushed with cherry dust.”
Such a lovely image! This character is a keeper!
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Thank you so much!!
>
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