It's Still Life

A Lily’s Palette

I love lilies.
Mum hated them.

But that’s not why I love them, although there was that contrary friction between us from time to time.

I love them because
they smell like church.

Mum hated them because
they smell like church.

When Mum’s father passed away, Grandma filled the church with white lilies. The air smelled weightless, and just on the edge of fragrant. Mum cried through the whole funeral. No, actually, she howled

just like that abandoned dog
that sat outside the Co-Op for days,

I also howled like that when my father died. Maybe it’s something daughters are hardwired to do. Or not, my sister didn’t. She howled when Mum died.

My sister hates lilies, too.
But I love them.

But that’s not why I love them, although there is that contrary friction between us from time to time.

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Some artwork is created using Midjourney AI, and is identified as such in the ALT text or captioned. Images are copyright and not to used without permission, which I willingly give when asked, and when not for commercial use. Imagery and poems/prose ©Misky 2006-2024.