Flowers by Nicole Yotis is the winning poem of Martingrove Library Council’s 2021 Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest. I am Love by Ruchi Tilva won 2nd place , and Nighttime Reminiscence by Orikto Ahmad won 3rd place. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Flowers
One sunny morning in the month of May,
A cheerful gardener was making her way
To her town’s annual flower display
To bring her girlfriend a gift.
Her cart piled high with all kinds of flowers,
(Beautiful blue ones that smelled of spring’s showers
And striking red ones that bloomed many hours)
Her step was steady and swift.
On the side of the road she spotted a man,
His face turned down, his head in his hand,
Muttering something ‘bout the fates of the damned,
An empty bottle beside him.
The gardener reached a hand down into her cart
And pulled out an orchid the shape of a heart.
The man startled, raised his head with a start
And beheld the flower before him.
But already, the gardener was walking once more,
And already, poor travellers she met by the score.
And already, she reached in the cart mentioned before
To give each one a flower.
And though the feelings of goodwill grew,
As her flowers depleted, the gardener knew
Her stock would run out, clear and true,
‘Ere the end of the hour.
And surely enough, the flowers ran out
And the gardener was left not a single sprout
To bring to her girlfriend, who was still, no doubt,
Waiting in the town square.
Now heavy hearted, the gardener walked on,
Wondering what her girlfriend would think of flowers gone.
Then at long last, she finally came upon
Her town, up ahead of her.
The gardener walked in the village, then looked ‘round,
To spy her girlfriend, whom she quickly found
Over by the fountain, sitting on the ground,
Waving the gardener over.
Taking a breath, the gardener walked t’ward her,
Wondering how she’d ever explain where the flowers were.
The next few moments felt like a blur
But finally, she told her.
Her girlfriend laughed, and said with a smile,
“I don’t care about gifts, so long as you spend a while
Of your time with me, after walking many miles,
It is you whom I have missed.”
A smile broke out across the gardener’s face
And the rest of the day, they stayed in place
Enjoying the other’s company and good grace
And neither ever thought to resist.