I have spent this last weekend of March in the UK at Woodbrooke Quaker College Birmingham, and I wandered around the garden of many acres to find the different types of daffodils. I gave up counting. Some were very different, some differences were very subtle. Some were fading away or being eaten. Some were in their full glory. I was bounded by time and the need to return to the conference talks. Perhaps the daffodils reflected the topic of our weekend about Unity, Diversity and Boundaries. Although there were many different points of view as there are often are within Quakers there was a unity and peacefulness in the stillness of Meeting, Woodbrooke and its Quaker history.
On return I thought the daffodils and stillness should inspire some writing and Dverse poets hosted by Sarah are working on the Villanelle form. So I have given it a go. More on the form and the links to past poets at end of poem.
An Infinity of Daffodils
(Woodbrooke Quaker Garden, March 2019)
–
What are words worth when silence calls?
Too many views but 22 types of daffodil flower,
Pensive thoughts when a pale petal falls.
–
The worm that wriggles deep within us all.
Now frays the edges of the yellow cloud shower.
What are words worth when silence calls?
–
We gather together to tear down walls.
Dare we dare discern eternity within one hour?.
Pensive thoughts when a pale petal falls.
–
Bright orange clothes a host of petals small.
Elegant trumpets ready to hide the pollen’s power.
What are words worth when the bees need to call?
–
To live in a way that no longer appals.
To hold in the light the insects’ last hour.
Pensive thoughts when a pale petal falls.
–
Is it God calls or some wormlike fear?
The fall of a tear, the lost peace of a flower.
Pensive thoughts when a pale petal falls.
What are words worth when silence calls?
https://dversepoets.com/ For Dverse poets this month there is the opportunity to try out the Villanelle form and read a range of these written by the many talented poets who frequent this very convivial and poetic meeting place. Why not have a go? Check on the link and then on Mr Linky at the end of the post.
Note the villanelle form has to have 19 lines with 5×3 line stanzas, finishing with a quatrain, all with repeating lines and a rhyme scheme to keep to.
Past poets referred to of course are William Wordsworth and his daffodils and ‘pensive eye’ and William Blake with ‘O sick rose’ and the worm and ‘ to hold infinity in the palm of your hand, eternity in an hour.’
Daffodil Notes
As for daffodils, well the number of varieties that have been cultivated seems to be about 13,000. And the number of wild species from 40 to 60. But it seems this depends on how daffodils are categorised and there are different sources for this information. Still a staggering number as there are also so many hybrids too.
Daffodils are from the Amaryllidacae family, think lilies and one of the old names for daffodil is Lent Lily. These beauties seem to like to lighten up lent as the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter is when they are in bloom. It is thought daffodils are a mispronunciation of Asphodels, see those in a previous post. Perhaps also the English made a play on words with daffadowndilly. Narcissus of course is a name given to this range of species and Linnaeus decided on Narcissus poeticus when he began to classify them. They seem to be the poet’s flower.
Wild daffodils originate from the Mediterranean region and there is a wild one we saw near our Navasola home in the south of Spain; the wild hooped daffodil. There is also a wild species in the U.K. that can still be found growing wild. The Wildlife Trusts have this link as to where to go. There may not be the ‘ hosts of golden daffodils’ that Wordsworth saw in the Lake District but it is good to know that the wild species can still be found.
Wild daffodils in the U.K. https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/where-see-wildlife/where-see-spring-wildlife/wild-daffodils
Small Wild daffodil, hooped daffodil,in Southern Spain in early April2018
My outcome for the weekend was ….to enjoy: swinging high, walking and watching the geese on the labyrinth, a visit to Cadbury’s Bournville village and watching an amazing woman play the carillon bells. And the conference….threw some light on what unites us.
Lets hope Spring is not blown away by another cold spell and possible snow.
And let’s hope with so much political turmoil the beauty of nature can unite us and the stillness we can find within bring peaceful and positive outcomes.
Gorgeous pictures!
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Thanks, I was just made aware of such variety.
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Ethereal! Thank you.
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Thanks, and such a lovely word too, ethereal! Haven’t heard it for a long time.
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Oh, that’s a lovely villanelle. I loved the casting back to Wordsworth (of course – daffodils – does anybody regularly quote any other works of his? I wonder if that is how he wished to be remembered) – and Blake – so you bring that history and sensibility with you. The repetitions are lovely, they become a meditation on time and the passing of time.
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Thanks, Sarah, it just all came together from the first line and some of the daffodils petals had been eaten by some bug so Blake came to mind, Glad you liked it as it’s my first attempt at a villanelle. Will get back to looking at others when back on wifi.
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Topic for the conference Boundaries, Unity, Diversity. Appropriately the initial letters spelling BUD, the essence of growth!
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Oh, yes how clever!
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The villanelle is as pretty as the flowers!
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Oh thanks, that’s quite a compliment!
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Georgina, a beautiful post, poem and photographs! I toast your final paragraph; the insanity has gone on too long and there is a general malaise across the nation.
Ahh, your hooped daffodil in Spain is gorgeous and I hope you had a wonderful time at Cadbury’s World. I imagine you went with your granddaughter? It is a brilliant day out and my son’s favourite was writing his name on a chocolate bar, the mini-train ride and the melted chocolate in the cup! And the shop of course.
Hope you’ve found inspiration at the writing course and the location sounds perfect!
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Thanks, the course wasn’t writing but the location inspiring. Hope all going well with your writing too.
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Hi Georgina,
I concur with Annika Perry about your post, poem and photographs. They are very well done! And so I have decided to be a new follower of your blog.
I have enjoyed reading your poems, many of which reveal your humanity and sensitive spirit with certain tenderness coloured by various intensities of yearning and understanding.
Like you, I personally only write rhyming poems, often with end rhymes, internal rhymes as well as rhythmic devices, syllabic schemes, and other subtle or overt features, as I consider many of the non-rhyming ones that I routinely encounter to be too unstructured and ad hoc, their form (or lack thereof) even widely abused, exploited or misunderstood by those who lack the required imagination and discipline to achieve or maintain poetic excellence.
In other words, my poems always rhyme, and have rhythmic schemes, syllabic patterns and other numeric properties and calligraphic considerations, as well as being wedded to my art, graphics and musical compositions.
In any case, we shall keep writing poems so that we may continue to improve and satisfy ourselves, regardless of what others might think of our poems. After all, poetry is always a subjective art and caters to different people and purposes. One person’s poem could be another person’s poison.
You can easily locate my poems concerning a variety of topics, which are accessible at https://soundeagle.wordpress.com/tag/poem/
Please be informed that many of my multimedia posts will take a while to load completely, and will benefit from being viewed on a large screen of a desktop and laptop computer, since those lengthy multimedia posts and my blog could be too powerful and feature-rich for iPad, iPhone, tablet or other portable devices to handle properly or adequately.
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Thank you Sound Eagle. I will look at your blog soon. At present have only the iPad but when on good wifi I can try your multi media. I want to include or do more video. I agree with you about poems and think they need some sound sense. I always liked TS Eliot, I think saying ‘the sound should echo the sense’. This last year Dverse Poets offered a ‘form’ to try each month. I preferred that to their prompts creating poems within a few days. I like to mull over the poem and try different forms. I was writing to play with words and meanings myself and the blog helps focus but I am going to try some poetry groups too. My main focus is getting my novel published and have been changing point of view from 3rd person omniscient to the rolling 3rd person of different characters. This seems to be the new style but I am not completely smitten by it! Busy day today collecting our chestnuts here in Spain but will catch up soon.
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Hello Georgina,
I am delighted to hear from you and to learn more about your ways with poetry. Also, I would like to wish you the best in the publication of your new novel.
For some of my shortest poems, you are welcome to start with the ones published at https://soundeagle.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/soundeagle-in-art-and-poetry/
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Thanks, will do.
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Such beautiful reflections, poetry, and photos, Georgina. ❤
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Thank you Carol.
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Beautiful poem – I love those images of the silence calling and the petal falling, which also seems appropriate for a Quaker college.
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Thanks Andrea, the poem certainly arose out of those two images.
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I love the poem!
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Thanks Clare, am trying to remain creative while back in UK. No pun intended but all words heavily loaded these days!
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A very lovely poem. I think Wordsworth would have approved!
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Thanks! I hope so. His poems have stirred many.
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i’m left with a deep
feeling for your
daffodils 🙂
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Yes, I think deep within the daffodils is a deep calm and joy, even as they fade and change into their future seed! Thank You smilecalm.
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Lovely images … daffodils are a favourite 🙂 beautiful poem
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Thank you Julie, hope Autumn is fruitful for you!
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Nice last line and this one: “The worm that wriggles deep within us all.”
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Thanks Frank, will get back to all the poetry soon. Enjoying Spring with family in U.K.
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Lovely reflections and photographs. I see peony poking out there by the daffodils ❤
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Yes, that’s right. Peonies getting ready. I have a poem on our wild peonies in Spain from some years back too. Thanks for comments and observation!
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Very nice – what a wonderful site of daffodils! Just wish they would last a little longer. I, too, have only written one villanelle but am now inspired to write more – or should I say challenged to write more.
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Thanks for your comment. My life like Spring has been busy and hope to catch up with everyone soon. Am now challenging myself to take a brief pause from activity and back to writing and reflection with visits to others to inspire me.
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