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Esperanza

Enticing in her yellow-bell couture,
__She shimmers like the sun.
With flirty puffs of pollen-pomp allure,
__Her blossoms trumpet fun.
She laces air with threads of scent as pure
__As pledges heaven-spun—
She glows with hope on nimbostratus days.

She bolsters butterflies and busies bees
__With flowery prowess.
She nestles in the nook of noontide’s breeze
__Where wishes effervesce.
She summons hummingbirds from shady trees
__With petal-plush finesse.
She musters hope on luster-lacking days.

Each swell of bud and merry burst of bloom
__Elicits Cupid’s dart.
She lifts the downcast eye as shadows loom.
__God’s gleaming work of art
Beaming in my garden keeps the gloom
__From darkening the heart—
She kindles hope on kissless, blissless days.

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Poet’s Note: Esperanza (meaning “hope”) is a native shrub of Texas
often referred to as a Yellow Bell or a Yellow Trumpet.

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My Texas Recipe for an English Tradition

Slap a slab of glory in your bowl—
The creamy kind from rain-kissed, Kentish cows.
Stir with saints and dragons in your soul
While reading Grandma’s Book of Whys and Hows.
Spoon in swoons of sweet until it blends.
Sift clouds of snowy drifts from white-cliff heights.
Drizzle bliss—the sort that heaven sends
To sisters learning timeless teatime rites
From the matriarchs of mellow air—
Those silvered dames endowed with queenly glee
Wafting bonhomie from fancy fare
On Sunday afternoons across the sea.
Serve with stiff-lipped poise neath steamy skies
With rhinestone-sparkle dancing in your eyes.

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O Lone Star Summer Simmer

O muggy hug of heat, O mad-dog fug,
O bayou-boiling seethe of midday might,
O conjuror of rattlesnake and bug,
Pray dim your blaze—too blinding is your light
For roses wilting far from English shores
Where raindrops reign and sunshine seldom roars.

O searing kiln, O ever-frying flame,
O frizzer of the smooth, unruffled tress,
O stoker of all sticky, sweaty shame,
O soaker of the freshly laundered dress—
Relent! Please quell your hellish spell of heat
So fierce it’s got this summer lover beat.

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Susan Jarvis Bryant is a poet originally from the U.K., now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas.

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19 Responses

  1. Joseph S. Salemi

    “Esperanza” is great work — a flower poem that totally avoids Hallmark-Cardism, and that uses vivid language (with Susan’s characteristic alliteration and clear rhyme) linked to a deft and agile meter. The alternating pentameter/trimeter rhythm, with each stanza closing with a significantly varied repetend, works as smoothly as a Swiss watch. This is pure Susan Jarvis Bryant.

    I’m especially struck by the line “Where wishes effervesce.” The combination of the “w” sound with “sh” and “s”, along with three different modulations of the “e” vowel, is masterly. And the repetend lines give us three different verbs and three different sets of adjectives.

    “My Texas Recipe…” is pure fictive artifact. What an unusual conceit: an old family recipe for a batter or an English trifle is here reimagined as a mixture of glory, saints, dragons, the white cliffs of Dover, matriarchs carrying out the rituals of teatime, along with the proverbial British stiff upper lip. All of these thoughts are blended into a celebration of the poet’s English heritage, her love of a pastoral Kent, her remembrance of rain and snow and drizzle, and yet all now placed in the “steamy skies” of Texas. What an accomplishment! And yet we have dim-witted pseudo-critics who say that formal poetry doesn’t allow one to be personal and confessional.

    “O Lone Star…” is an Englishwoman’s complaint about the searing heat of Texas. “Roses wilting far from English shores” is clearly Susan’s description of herself on really hot Texas days). I have a colleague who taught in Texas for several years. She has frequently mentioned how punishing the hot weather can be, and she also said that the real reason why Texans of both sexes carry firearms is the general presence of rattlesnakes, and the need to kill them when their presence is inconvenient. She described to me how not just men but young girls and old ladies had no problem at all in blowing the head off a rattler with one shot, if necessary. And this was on a college campus!

    Note the heavy use of the vocative “O” in this last poem. Normally this is now considered old-fashioned and to be avoided, or perhaps limited to cases where one needs to prevent a trochaic start to an iambic-5 line. But here Susan uses it for a straightforward comic purpose. The poem is a direct complaint to the summer season, and the repeated “O” adds a tone of desperation and urgency.

    All three poems are a pleasure to read.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Joe, I am so sorry I am late in replying to this wonderful comment that has filled me with joy. I had such fun writing these, and to know that they have given you pleasure has made my heart sing.

      I consider myself Texlish – a Texan/English hybrid. Strange things have happened to me over the last fifteen years. I now find it hard to differentiate between the American-English and British-English spellings and have to double check all. I’m also beginning to doubt my pronunciation – I have to check my rhyme endings to see if they are suitable for both sides of the pond. If I write a Shakespearean sonnet, I feel drawn to use British English. If I reply to a British person in the comments section, I feel I should use British-English. Whether I should or not… I don’t know. I speak with a British accent littered with Texanisms… and I often wonder if this comes across in my poetry. I decided to embrace this aspect of me in these latest poems. Thank you so much for your appreciation.

      Reply
  2. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Susan, I am familiar with the subjects of all three of your poems, since I live in Texas. This is a treat for me with what seems more than your usual adventurous alliteration. I have some similar Texas poem subjects that I have filed away and may pull them out by spring. These are as entertaining as they are evocative and illuminating.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Roy, thank you very much for your kind and encouraging comment. I am surprised by the beauty of the native flowers (many of them wild) here in Texas. They thrive in this weather… even roses. We have a public rose garden near us, and I feel as if I’m in an English garden every time I walk around it. A “Beware Snakes” sign lets me know exactly where I am!

      Reply
  3. Martin Briggs

    As usual, I’m struggling to express adequate appreciation. There isn’t a superfluous word anywhere here. The alliteration and assonance are entertaining and intriguing, but also completely right. It doesn’t matter that I’ve never seen Esperanza and never will: now I know her. And your Texas Recipe is redolent with the gentle (but not regretful) nostalgia of an expat. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Martin, I am smiling broadly at your appreciative words of encouragement. I am over the moon that you enjoyed my poems and that you could see the Esperanza through my eyes. Thank you very much indeed!

      Reply
  4. Mark Stellinga

    You’re getting quite good at this, young lady. I see no room for improvement in the way you construct your poetry – a ‘personal approval’ I’m sure you’ve been hoping for. 🙂 “Hi” to Mike –

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Mark, your personal approval has cheered my Friday evening and I thank you for it. I’m so pleased you enjoyed my efforts. I thoroughly enjoyed writing them!

      Reply
  5. Brian Yapko

    Three charmers for sure, Susan, which offer a deliciously piquant slice of what life is like in Texas. As always, your use of poetic devices is a master class in how to mine each word for maximum effect and how such words all come together to create a whole which is so much greater than the sum of its parts. I always look forward to reading your work because I learn from you every time I do.

    Esperanza is a particularly delightful poem which actually has personal application for me. I bought an esperanza plant a few months ago which I’ve kept in a planter. It stopped blooming and is now pathetically yellowing and dropping leaves. I think it needs some good Texas soil and for me to stop overwatering it.

    Your Recipe for English Tradition is enjoyable vbut sure hits hard these days considering the way tradition seems to be bulldozed over in Britain. Your Lone Star Summer Simmer is just hilarious. The “unruffled tress” and the freshly laundered dress particularly tickled me. I’m no longer a stranger to that special combo of hot temperatures and extreme humidity and every word in this piece not only rang true but made me long for a shower and then a nap in a cold air-conditioned room.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Brian, I am thrilled you enjoyed my Texlish trio. I had so much fun writing them, I always hope some of my joy rubs off on the reader.

      Our late George Lionel used to snooze under an Esperanza we lost during the Texas freeze. We bought a new one in his honor and it’s thriving. We sprinkle it with a little water each morning, and that is it. It’s in full flower. It’s low maintenance, which I love. You have read your Esperanza’s leaves perfectly… a little less care and hope will abound. (Esperanzas hate wet feet… they need good drainage.)

      My heart bleeds for my homeland, whose traditions often make an appearance in Texas. When I first arrived and visitors requested tea, I boiled the kettle, whipped out the teapot and poured steaming cups of Rosie Lee… to horrified faces. Although I’ve learned that iced tea is where it’s at, I still can’t summon enthusiasm for tea that’s cold.

      Ahh, that heat – I’ve come to learn the beauty of a hotter-than-hell summer. It leads to a marvelously mild winter – a snow-free sensation! Brian, thank you very much for your appreciation, your encouragement, and your inspiration.

      Reply
  6. Adam Sedia

    “Esperanza” is beautiful, a fitting tribute to its subject. Your play on its name, echoed in the varied refrain, gives an anchor for your lush description. The esperanza is not just an object of beauty, but a source of inspiration.

    “Texas Recipe” comes from your unique perspective, bridging the old and new worlds. I enjoyed the portrait of this blended legacy you portray.

    “Summer Simmer” has your trademark play on words (“muggy hug” and “bayou boiling” stick out to me), concluding with a heartfelt plea. (Up here, though, it’s already starting to feel like autumn.)

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Adam, as you know, fancy floral wonders are always an inspiration when it comes to writing poetry, but they’re tricky to depict successfully. Both you and Brian have both written superb poems on flowers, which is why I am thrilled to receive approval from both of you. Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the other two as well. And now you’ve mentioned autumn… how I long to clap my eyes on the burst of flame-kissed leaves that come with it. I shall just have to rely on my Muse to blow a few my way.

      Reply
  7. Cynthia L Erlandson

    I love Esperanza’s furtive internal rhyming such as “flowery prowess” and “summons hummingbirds”. Also, the alternating 5-3 meter seems “flirty”.
    The bowl, the spoon, the sifting — so many clever recipe images work together in your “Texas Recipe” poem.
    “Summer Simmer” really brings a clear picture — and a palpable feel — of what your Texas summer is like. It made me think, while reading it, that you must be really crazy about Mike to have left the place of your English teatimes and settled with him there! 🙂 What a guy he must be!

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Cynthia, thank you very much indeed! I can always rely upon your excellent poet’s eye to pick out all I do on the technical front, and for that I am most grateful. It’s so rewarding when a fellow poet acknowledges such efforts… and, you’re right, Mike is most certainly worth getting hot for. Oops… I hope the moderator doesn’t delete my naughty pun!

      Reply
  8. Mia

    Dear Susan, as I hope you know I am a fan of your poems and these are no exception.
    My sister now lives in Texas {as I have probably mentioned before] and I will make sure I do not visit in the summer!
    Esperanza is a beautiful poem. Interestingly I read it on the same day that President Trump and Melania were on a state visit to the UK. Melania wore a most beautiful yellow dress for the state banquet and the poem sort of reminded me of her.
    On listening to the speeches it struck me that the President shows his love for the UK much more than its own prime minister…
    Another thing is that I am constantly surprised how British people take for granted all that is wonderful about the UK.
    Thank you and I know how you feel about being part of two worlds. I am Greenglish and it is really both a blessing and a challenge! Thank you for letting me discover what I have known at some level. That it is all about integrity and respect for your new home when striving to merge two worlds.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      Dear Mia, what a beautiful comment. Bright yellow is a striking and joyous color, and Melania wore it well, as she does all of her exquisitely tailored outfits. Did you know Melania is the only First Lady to never have appeared on the front cover of Vogue? Jill Biden appeared twice. Michelle Obama appeared three times. Hilary Clinton and Laura Bush have appeared… but NO Melania Trump. In this tolerant age of embracing diversity, it is becoming increasingly evident that any association with, or favorable mention of, the current American president will get one shunned. The U.K. has always had a great relationship with America which I hope will continue. It would seem the majority of British people are happy to welcome Trump, in spite of fake news to the contrary.

      I love your “Greenish” observation. I think the UK is all the better for your presence, Mia. When you visit your sister, make sure it’s before June 1st and after November 20th… the heat and the hurricane season are pretty wild for those used to tame English climes.

      Thank you!

      Reply
  9. C.B. Anderson

    I’ll bet, Susan, that you enjoyed the break from writing poems dealing strictly with politics or disturbing social issues, and it showed. I don’t care for scalding heat much either, but it’s better than bitter cold, because at least, in the former instance, there is recourse to shade. I wish I could grow me some Esperanza.

    Reply
    • Susan Jarvis Bryant

      C.B., you’re right, I did enjoy the break – it was good for me and I’m thrilled others enjoyed the more joyful side of my work. At least we have air con here in Texas, which makes the heat bearable at furnace level. I remember hot summers in the U.K. – mild by the Texas comparison – causing Brits to squirm in the agony of it with fans cranked to the max after adding an extra two ice cubes to the one melting in their sweating glass of liquid sustenance – how daring! As for growing some Esperanza… getting it to thrive in a world of disturbing social issues is a challenge… but I have a strong feeling you would be successful. C.B., thank you!

      Reply

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