Somewhere in the ebb (of the work day)
and flow (of the springtime woods)
a page turned and laid itself gently
across the path like a vignette filter
on this enchanting afternoon
and there beneath my feet…
A single spotted wintergreen rises up from the ground…Spotted wintergreens are the flowers that grow from longing.
The sun has warmed the alcove of cedar,
so I sit for a while to consider the flowers,
the swan, the osprey, the character
who calls to me from across the pond
who? who?
He turns and stops, his head tilted towards the ground. He stands there for several seconds, staring at the spotted wintergreen…
Am I dreaming?
Then he carefully pushes his hands into the soil next to it and a cardinal flower punches through the surface…Cardinal flowers grow from frustration.
Perhaps dreaming or remembering?
Surely there is magic about,
even the Owl agrees
watching now from above,
as I sigh and adjust and…
Kneel beside the cardinal flower and touch the Earth, a purple cone flower rises to greet me.…the perfect flower for apologies.
We add to our conversation, wildflowers taking over the dirt…and so much spotted wintergreen, longing everywhere…
We see each other. I think we always have.
How long did I sleep?
I don’t recall.
Time stood still
there by the pond
beneath the trees
that whispered and sang
and soothed us —
the Owl and I —
for a moment
or hours or maybe
perhaps a lifetime.
A new flower punctuates the end of our conversation – a single iris to say he loves me.
With all thanks to Rachel Griffin and The Nature of Witches, this found poem ©2025, Jen Payne. NaPoWriMo, National Poetry Writing Month. If you like this poem, you can read similar in my books and zines, available from Three Chairs Publishing on my ETSY SHOP. They come autographed, with gratitude and a small gift.
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