silent sweet william rises
into the air thin as birdsong
blue petals flash secrets
fringed petals wave their delight
 
into the air thin as birdsong
I soar with my happiness while
fringed petals wave their delight
floating in the sky of my garden
 
I soar with my happiness while
the deft flower clings to its cousins in blue
floating in the sky of my garden
watching the gossip of flowerets
 
the deft flower clings to its cousins in blue
each head huddles its glory in blue
chatting the gossip of flowerets
I fly myself in the grey
 
the flowerhead huddles its glory in blue
caressing sweet william is all I'm allowed
 
I fly myself in the grey
in the air thin as birdsong

© 1991 Carolyn Grady

This poem first appeared in BLUELINE May 1991 vol.12 p.47