Photo of a banana passion fruit vine (Kiwicare)‘Heights of Passion’ by David Watt The Society March 16, 2022 Beauty, Poetry 22 Comments . Heights of Passion Passion flowers white and purple Bloom where tendrils curl and cling To the overhanging myrtle Sheltering my garden swing. Scents befitting distant tropics Catch the senses unaware, Lingering like sweet narcotics For the swinger, high on air. Rise and fall like waves on ocean Moves the swing, and my heart too, From the sight of grace in motion, And the perfume drifting through. This must count as hypnotism Of the very first degree, Though I bear no criticism, As her art entrances me! When the back-and-forth decreases I awaken from my trance, Seeing that which never ceases: Smiles to move, and eyes that dance! Never have I felt such passion, Interwoven like the vine, With a fragrance sure to fashion Greater heights through each incline! . . David Watt is a writer from Canberra, the “Bush Capital” of Australia. He has contributed regularly to Collections of Poetry and Prose by Robin Barratt. When not working for IP (Intellectual Property) Australia, he finds time to appreciate the intrinsic beauty of traditional rhyming poetry. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 22 Responses Cheryl Corey March 16, 2022 David, this is absolutely lovely. I have a miniature orange tree that I keep pruned to about three feet tall, (some thirty years old – it comes inside for the winter) and when it comes into bloom, the scent is heavenly. Is the passionflower similar? Reply David Watt March 17, 2022 Thank you very much Cheryl. Our banana passionfruit have just appeared in our garden, probably seeded by birds. The vines tend to spread too much, requiring regular weeding. On the plus side, the scent is intensely perfumed. Our winter is no problem for this kind of passionfruit. Reply Russel Winick March 16, 2022 I second Cheryl’s observation. Great stuff, David. I will read and enjoy it again as I walk through a forest preserve filled with wildflowers later today. Reply Roy E. Peterson March 16, 2022 I can imagine the fragrance and the sight of someone special on the swing mesmerizing me. Reply David Watt March 17, 2022 Thank you Russell and Roy for your comments. The fragrance of flowers definitely has the ability to enhance Life’s best memories. Reply Margaret Coats March 16, 2022 David, this poem is splendid at clearly but discreetly conveying erotic passion through sensory symbolism and description of motion. The effect takes great skill in the poet, and it is not easy to maintain for so many lines, with words and wordplay that are beautiful even on the simple garden scene level. The upward ending pushes the limits of creative possibility, but you have the swing to achieve it. Great work! Reply Paul Freeman March 16, 2022 Some very vivid and memorable imagery. Thanks for the read, David. Reply James A. Tweedie March 16, 2022 I can see and smell and feel the moment. And I can dream of what it all might be as a metaphor for something that inclines me upwards towards a “greater height.” This is a swing more akin to Jacob’s ladder than it is to one pictured in a scene by Fragonard. You have painted a beautiful picture and I thank you for it. Reply Margaret Coats March 16, 2022 Combining passion flower and myrtle symbolism leads to great heights artistically. Both mean passionate love. The passion flower suggests love and willingness to suffer, pointing toward Christ as well as the personal sacrifices in marriage. The overhanging myrtle is love and marriage in Greek myth, and in European traditions for bridal crowns and bouquets. Reply James A. Tweedie March 17, 2022 Margaret, I was aware of the passion flower as a symbol for Christ’s passion but was not familiar with the symbolism of the myrtle. All very interesting as we create living poetry from the ordinary things in the world that touch our hearts and minds with deeper feelings and thoughts and become poetry in and of themselves as they point us to God, to Christ, and to love. David Watt March 17, 2022 Margaret, your comments are always detailed and most welcome. Initially, I hadn’t realised the full extent of symbolism in choosing to combine myrtle with passion flower. You are, of course, right in saying that myrtle is significant in the Christian tradition, Greek myth, and as a symbol of love and fertility, is used in European bridal adornments. David Watt March 17, 2022 James, I really appreciate your Jacob’s ladder reference in relation to the swing. The viewer in the poem is surely dreaming heavenly thoughts, and the upward movement of the swing is helping to lead him there. Reply Brian Yapko March 16, 2022 This is a wonderful poem, David! It’s full of lush, sensual imagery which makes me long to visit some tropical paradise. Reply David Watt March 17, 2022 Brian, I was fortunate in combining a number of senses in this poem, and to have movement as a unifying force. I have always liked the lushness and scents of the tropics. Banana passionfruit makes for some sort of substitute here in more temperate climes. Reply Jeff Eardley March 16, 2022 David, thank you for a very special poem today, the perfect antidote to the evil going on just over the water from here. Great rhyming and imagery, which for me is what poetry is all about. I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you. Reply David Watt March 17, 2022 Jeff, we do continue to need an antidote to evil these days. I’m so glad you enjoyed this ‘uplifting’ poem. Reply Mal Beveridge March 17, 2022 A really good poem David. Thoroughly entrancing from different perspectives. I’ve always supposed that it is up to the reader to interpret the intimate condensations of the poet and in doing so to bring the artform to its proper purpose. This poem achieves that purpose with distinction. Thank you. Reply David Watt March 17, 2022 Mal, I am delighted that you found my poem to have achieved its intended purpose. Thank you very much. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant March 18, 2022 David, this delight on heights of passion sings with seductive rhythm and sensual intrigue. Its exquisite and erotic imagery have me craving an afternoon romp in the flowerbed. I love it with a passion! Reply David Watt March 19, 2022 Thank you so much Susan. ‘… with a passion’ is a particularly witty response. Reply Norma Pain March 20, 2022 A perfectly beautiful poem with perfect rhyme and meter. I hope that I may copy and paste it into my file of perfectly beautiful poems, of which I now have many, thanks to SCP. Thank you David. Reply David Watt March 22, 2022 Norma, I would be honored if you copy and file my poem. Thanks for your appreciation. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Cheryl Corey March 16, 2022 David, this is absolutely lovely. I have a miniature orange tree that I keep pruned to about three feet tall, (some thirty years old – it comes inside for the winter) and when it comes into bloom, the scent is heavenly. Is the passionflower similar? Reply
David Watt March 17, 2022 Thank you very much Cheryl. Our banana passionfruit have just appeared in our garden, probably seeded by birds. The vines tend to spread too much, requiring regular weeding. On the plus side, the scent is intensely perfumed. Our winter is no problem for this kind of passionfruit. Reply
Russel Winick March 16, 2022 I second Cheryl’s observation. Great stuff, David. I will read and enjoy it again as I walk through a forest preserve filled with wildflowers later today. Reply
Roy E. Peterson March 16, 2022 I can imagine the fragrance and the sight of someone special on the swing mesmerizing me. Reply
David Watt March 17, 2022 Thank you Russell and Roy for your comments. The fragrance of flowers definitely has the ability to enhance Life’s best memories. Reply
Margaret Coats March 16, 2022 David, this poem is splendid at clearly but discreetly conveying erotic passion through sensory symbolism and description of motion. The effect takes great skill in the poet, and it is not easy to maintain for so many lines, with words and wordplay that are beautiful even on the simple garden scene level. The upward ending pushes the limits of creative possibility, but you have the swing to achieve it. Great work! Reply
James A. Tweedie March 16, 2022 I can see and smell and feel the moment. And I can dream of what it all might be as a metaphor for something that inclines me upwards towards a “greater height.” This is a swing more akin to Jacob’s ladder than it is to one pictured in a scene by Fragonard. You have painted a beautiful picture and I thank you for it. Reply
Margaret Coats March 16, 2022 Combining passion flower and myrtle symbolism leads to great heights artistically. Both mean passionate love. The passion flower suggests love and willingness to suffer, pointing toward Christ as well as the personal sacrifices in marriage. The overhanging myrtle is love and marriage in Greek myth, and in European traditions for bridal crowns and bouquets. Reply
James A. Tweedie March 17, 2022 Margaret, I was aware of the passion flower as a symbol for Christ’s passion but was not familiar with the symbolism of the myrtle. All very interesting as we create living poetry from the ordinary things in the world that touch our hearts and minds with deeper feelings and thoughts and become poetry in and of themselves as they point us to God, to Christ, and to love.
David Watt March 17, 2022 Margaret, your comments are always detailed and most welcome. Initially, I hadn’t realised the full extent of symbolism in choosing to combine myrtle with passion flower. You are, of course, right in saying that myrtle is significant in the Christian tradition, Greek myth, and as a symbol of love and fertility, is used in European bridal adornments.
David Watt March 17, 2022 James, I really appreciate your Jacob’s ladder reference in relation to the swing. The viewer in the poem is surely dreaming heavenly thoughts, and the upward movement of the swing is helping to lead him there. Reply
Brian Yapko March 16, 2022 This is a wonderful poem, David! It’s full of lush, sensual imagery which makes me long to visit some tropical paradise. Reply
David Watt March 17, 2022 Brian, I was fortunate in combining a number of senses in this poem, and to have movement as a unifying force. I have always liked the lushness and scents of the tropics. Banana passionfruit makes for some sort of substitute here in more temperate climes. Reply
Jeff Eardley March 16, 2022 David, thank you for a very special poem today, the perfect antidote to the evil going on just over the water from here. Great rhyming and imagery, which for me is what poetry is all about. I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you. Reply
David Watt March 17, 2022 Jeff, we do continue to need an antidote to evil these days. I’m so glad you enjoyed this ‘uplifting’ poem. Reply
Mal Beveridge March 17, 2022 A really good poem David. Thoroughly entrancing from different perspectives. I’ve always supposed that it is up to the reader to interpret the intimate condensations of the poet and in doing so to bring the artform to its proper purpose. This poem achieves that purpose with distinction. Thank you. Reply
David Watt March 17, 2022 Mal, I am delighted that you found my poem to have achieved its intended purpose. Thank you very much. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant March 18, 2022 David, this delight on heights of passion sings with seductive rhythm and sensual intrigue. Its exquisite and erotic imagery have me craving an afternoon romp in the flowerbed. I love it with a passion! Reply
David Watt March 19, 2022 Thank you so much Susan. ‘… with a passion’ is a particularly witty response. Reply
Norma Pain March 20, 2022 A perfectly beautiful poem with perfect rhyme and meter. I hope that I may copy and paste it into my file of perfectly beautiful poems, of which I now have many, thanks to SCP. Thank you David. Reply
David Watt March 22, 2022 Norma, I would be honored if you copy and file my poem. Thanks for your appreciation. Reply
