“The Flower” by Michael L. Utley

Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com

A flower grows in distant land 
Whose sweet perfume anoints the soul 
Whose silken petals soothe the hand 
Of he who seeks to understand 
And reaches outward to console 

This flower fair whose beauty hides 
Such painful mem’ries of the past 
Whose leaflets tremble in the tides 
Of raindrop tears that course the sides 
Of crying blossoms overcast 

By fearsome thunderclouds above 
And zephyrs cold that beat and rend 
All things this flower’s come to love 
With nothing but a mourning dove 
To lament flower’s bitter end 

Yet… 

A gentle hand, a warm caress
On melancholy flower’s face
A touch of simple tenderness
By miracle can convalesce
A heavy heart and can replace

A broken soul with life anew
And joy that was there once before
May dapple petals in the dew
Of mornings bright with strength renewed
With blossoms glowing evermore

A flower grows in distant land
Whose sweet perfume anoints the soul
And any rainstorm shall withstand
And live in peace in meadowland
No longer lost; in hope made whole

Copyright © 2023 Michael L. Utley

38 thoughts on ““The Flower” by Michael L. Utley”

  3. I love your poem Mike!
    This last stanza gives me goosebumps.
    Truly a wonderful piece, Congratulations!

    “A flower grows in distant land
    Whose sweet perfume anoints the soul
    And any rainstorm shall withstand
    And live in peace in meadowland
    No longer lost; in hope made whole”

    💗

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You’re too kind, Cindy. 🙂 I’m happy to know you liked this one. I sort of had a feeling you might. It’s a lot more hopeful and upbeat than my usual fare. I wrote it for a girl I knew years ago who was struggling with her own demons, and because of the darkness of depression she just couldn’t see the radiance of her own heart and soul. She was the beautiful flower in the thunderstorm, buffeted about by her fears and problems. It’s been years now, but I hope she finally recognized just how wonderful she is. 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Oh yes, now I remember I did read this and loved it Mike. It’s so beautiful and soothing for the soul. Somehow I didn’t get your message. I’m sure would appreciate the sentiments of you poem. I almost responded again about that last verse until I checked again and saw it generated the same emotions as the last time I read it.

        Superb poem, my friend❣️

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Many thanks, Darlene. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of this girl who meant so much to me, but couldn’t find her way through her darkness… It’s so hard to watch someone we love suffer like that. I appreciate your kindness so much, and I thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    1. Thanks, Nigel. The inability to see one’s self-worth is a tragedy, but it’s a sad reality in far too many of our lives. The inspiration for this piece was a brilliant, enigmatic, beautiful and kind girl (who was also a writer) whose reflection in her inner mirror was distorted by depression and trauma. Seeing someone suffer needlessly like this is heart-breaking. The impact she had on my life is indelible and profound, and I hope one day those clouds break and she sees the light again. We all matter, every one of us. Thanks so much for you kindness, my friend. It means a lot to me. 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

  10. Mike, my friend, this is such a beautiful, tender and heartfelt poem. It really spoke to me. I read in the comments that you wrote this with someone special to you in mind. That’s so heartwarming. For me, having a tough week, your last stanza gave me hope, and I am grateful to you for that. It means a lot. I know I have missed several of your pieces of work recently (I have with everyone) – I have severe anxiety and depression, but your poem has given me a very welcome lift. Thank you so much for that. I hope that you are well and managing life in general in the best way you can. Hug X 🤗

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Ellie. I’m so glad to know this poem has lifted your spirits a bit. Seriously, this means a lot to me. Words hold power, and can change lives. I usually don’t wrote hopeful material (I don’t have a lot of hope in my reservoir from which to draw), but sometimes the words take over and I find myself simply along for the ride, and in the case of this poem, it had a hopeful destination. The amazing thing about poetry is it can touch hearts and souls over the miles and across the years. I’m so pleased to know this little piece helped you feel better in some small way. Each of us is a flower, and sometimes we’re caught in the rain but it doesn’t diminish the fact that we’re still wonderful and beautiful and worthy of loving and being loved. I always enjoyed photographing wild flowers after a rain storm. They always seemed to glow, and the rain drops added to their beauty.

      Thanks again, my friend. Look for flowers in the rain. You won’t be disappointed. 😉

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Dear Mike, it definitely did me good to read your poem. As you say, words have power, often more power than some people realise. I’m glad you were able to find such beautiful words in your hope-lacking reservoir. I do believe that words, and especially poetry can reach and touch hearts all over the world and from the present into the far distant future. You are quite right about flowers in the rain still being quite amazing.

        I went to a meeting this morning and arrived twenty minutes early, so sat outside the building just looking at the flowers (those that were left as it’s autumn now) and the divine-smelling herb garden. There were cabbage white butterflies, and peacocks, too. It really gave me a boost before the meeting and I was glad I’d arrived that early. Talking of the beauty of nature, I love your Nature Photography page. Your photos are stunning. There was nowhere for comments; otherwise, I would have told you which were my favourites. How often do you update that page? Or perhaps you could let me know when you’ve added more photos to it. Thanks. X 😊

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Hey, Ellie. I’m glad you were able to enjoy the flowers and butterflies and peacocks prior to your meeting. What a nice way to relax and focus, eh? As for my nature photos, if you click on an image in the galleries, it takes you to a post where I describe the photo, how it was made, what it means to me, the location and so on. There you can leave a comment if you want. So, just click away! 🙂 I originally wanted to have around sixty images so I haven’t updated the page for awhile. The last seven of the images in the third gallery have no write-ups yet so I need to do that sometime. Thanks for the kind words, too. It means a lot to me. 😉

          Liked by 2 people

        2. Hi, Mike. I love stopping to see nature, although I don’t always remember to get my phone out to take photos. Thank you for explaining how to use your nature photography page. I will got back to this as soon as I have time, as I’d like to have another look at your gorgeous photos and learn more about them. I am glad we have become good WP friends. It’s always good to chat with you. X 😊

          Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks so much, Diana. Yes, I love poetry with a classic, traditional feel to it. I’m a big fan of Robert Frost, and this is reflected in the format I used. It creates a really smooth flow and a lyrical feel. As for the hope inherent in this piece, well, I suppose that’s what you get when you write a poem for someone you love. The situation was dire and sorrowful, but I saw hope and I wanted so badly to share that hope with her, to help lift her up from the morass of her depression. Words are powerful, and I hope she remembers this poem all these years later. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  12. So lovely, Mike, and I love how you weave in hope at the end. I also read your reply to Cindy, which evoked memories of two friends that my son and daughter had who couldn’t get a good grip on hope in their teens, so living was no longer an option for them. Your words are very moving. Congratulations on the publication.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Lauren. I’m so sorry to hear about your children’s friends. Hope seems to be so scarce in this world nowadays, especially among younger people. And sometimes when we look in the mirror of our souls, we can’t see any hope at all. I go through this daily, and it’s an ongoing battle. Writing helps so much to put things into a better perspective so we can see not only the world but also ourselves more clearly. I hope anyone who reads this poem will pause and consider the core truth behind it: we all matter, we all have value, and hope/help is there if we seek it. I appreciate your kindness, my friend. Thanks again. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Dear Mike, how absolutely wonderful to have the pleasure of reading you again my friend. What a captivating and clever writing. I have read it three times now and I could read it again in an hour. This is really lovely – “the half empty – half full,” way of looking at things. Exquisitely done. Sending a big hug first and a congratulations! Have a great week Mike! Joni❤️

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks a bunch, Joni. Your kindness is so uplifting and welcome. I’m happy to know you enjoyed this one. It’s always so good to hear from you and I hope you’re doing well. Much appreciated, my friend. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Kindest thanks, Saima. I’m so glad to know this poem resonated with you. Honestly, it’s a delight to hear from you, my friend, and I hope you’ve been doing well. Thanks so much for your support, as always. It means a lot to me. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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