The Flower (Slightly Revised) Poem by Mary Naylor

For My Mother, In Memorium
One day when I was a small schoolgirl,
I noticed the green tip of a
Plant pushing through the half-
Frozen dirt. 'It's too early, '
I thought. 'It won't live.'

The next day I went to the plant
Again. It had grown a little
Bigger. 'It reminds me of something
Stubborn, ' I thought. It won't give up.'
It reminded me of someone I knew, too,
But I couldn't think who.

It grew tall. The wind blew icy
And fierce. But the plant didn't bow -
Or if it did, it would snap right
back up. 'That reminds me of something
Strong, ' I thought. It reminded me
Of someone I knew, too,
But I couldn't think who.

Then something wonderful
Happened. The plant unfurled a flower.
'That reminds me of everything
Beautiful, ' I thought. It reminded me
Of someone I knew, too,
But I couldn't think who.

I seemed to grow with the flower.
One day I discovered that it
Cradled new life - seeds. It had
formed them, nurtured them,
and sheltered them.

When it was time, the flower spilled them
Onto the earth, with loving
messages written inside.

Hold fast to the soil.
Be strong in the wind.
Drink in the beauty of the earth.
Don't give up!

Suddenly I knew of whom the flower
Reminded me. It reminded me of
My mother.

It still does.
It always will.