dried rose flowers (Kritzolina)‘Still Life of a Bouquet’: A Poem by Joanna Raja Sekar The Society May 31, 2025 Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . Still Life of a Bouquet Seems wrong to me that flowers die, A live display of borrowed time, To see them bloom from beaming buds To threadbare bones cut off from blood. Those sharp-set stems, sturdy, stoic Wean from will, though still heroic Fragrant flames of fuchsia flutter, Blushing bulbs, bemoaning, mutter Beauty is a gentle stranger Poised within a gushing danger. Water wanes with those weary stems; I can’t buy time to rescue them But petals wilt, and do not weep Nor salvage what they cannot keep. Too soon, post-bloom, do petals dry Seems wrong to me that flowers die. . . Joanna Raja Sekar lives in Virginia. 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. ***Read Our Comments Policy Here*** 12 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson May 31, 2025 Joanna, I am completely smitten with your beautiful creative poem with such a wonderful message. The alliteration is superb and striking. Great classical nature poem! Reply Joanna R June 3, 2025 Thank you so much for your kind words, Roy! Reply C.B. Anderson June 1, 2025 There’s a reason everything must die in the natural world, but a good poem may live forever. This is the difference between biological flowers and the divine flowers grown in the outskirts of the heavenly realm. Reply Joanna R June 3, 2025 Great insights, C.B! I especially love your distinction between “biological flowers and the divine flowers grown in the outskirts of the heavenly realm”. Such a poignant image. Thank you for taking the time to read my poem and leave this lovely comment! Reply jd June 1, 2025 A lovely poem, Joanna, with masterful alliteration as noted. Love the sound of, “Beauty is a gentle stranger Poised within a gushing danger.” I also think beginning and ending with the same line is very effective. Reply Joanna R June 3, 2025 Thank you so much, JD! Reply Paul A. Freeman June 2, 2025 I like the cycle of life feel to this piece, the first and last lines being the same. Some great imagery, too, in this thought-provoking piece. I especially liked the idea of: ‘A live display of borrowed time.’ Thanks for the read, Joanna. Reply Joanna R June 3, 2025 Thank you for your kind comment, Paul! Reply Adam Sedia June 3, 2025 I love what you do with form in this work. You have a basic sonnet-like structure written in heroic couplets with a Shakespearean refrain inserted at the end of the octave, combined with a refrain bookending the poem. It all ties together very nicely. Rhyming stoic, and heroic was also a nice touch. As for the subject, you turn an everyday scene into a larger meditation on evanescence and death. This is proper poetry. Reply Joanna R June 3, 2025 This feedback means so much to me! Thank you for your kind words, Adam. Reply Margaret Coats June 3, 2025 Each line well composed in itself, and polished with its proper alliteration, makes an arrangement where every stem supports melancholy poignancy. Reply Joanna R June 4, 2025 Thank you for your kind words, Margaret! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson May 31, 2025 Joanna, I am completely smitten with your beautiful creative poem with such a wonderful message. The alliteration is superb and striking. Great classical nature poem! Reply
C.B. Anderson June 1, 2025 There’s a reason everything must die in the natural world, but a good poem may live forever. This is the difference between biological flowers and the divine flowers grown in the outskirts of the heavenly realm. Reply
Joanna R June 3, 2025 Great insights, C.B! I especially love your distinction between “biological flowers and the divine flowers grown in the outskirts of the heavenly realm”. Such a poignant image. Thank you for taking the time to read my poem and leave this lovely comment! Reply
jd June 1, 2025 A lovely poem, Joanna, with masterful alliteration as noted. Love the sound of, “Beauty is a gentle stranger Poised within a gushing danger.” I also think beginning and ending with the same line is very effective. Reply
Paul A. Freeman June 2, 2025 I like the cycle of life feel to this piece, the first and last lines being the same. Some great imagery, too, in this thought-provoking piece. I especially liked the idea of: ‘A live display of borrowed time.’ Thanks for the read, Joanna. Reply
Adam Sedia June 3, 2025 I love what you do with form in this work. You have a basic sonnet-like structure written in heroic couplets with a Shakespearean refrain inserted at the end of the octave, combined with a refrain bookending the poem. It all ties together very nicely. Rhyming stoic, and heroic was also a nice touch. As for the subject, you turn an everyday scene into a larger meditation on evanescence and death. This is proper poetry. Reply
Margaret Coats June 3, 2025 Each line well composed in itself, and polished with its proper alliteration, makes an arrangement where every stem supports melancholy poignancy. Reply