The Garden In My Dreams #SOLC18 #PoetryFriday

One of the images presented to participants in Laura Shovan‘s 6th Annual February Daily Poem Project (ekphrastic poetry this year) was this gorgeous watercolor and watercolor pencil painting, “Chinook, Hines Emerald Dragonfly, and Irises, endangered species,” a WIP, © 2017 by the uber-talented artist/writer/poet Michelle Kogan. (Warning: Her Etsy shop is irresistible!) When I first saw the painting I thought descriptive haiku would work best. But as the day wore on, and the longer I sat with the image, the more I began thinking of…

…the garden in my dreams. This Japanese iris garden, complete with authentic lanterns, pagoda, and tea house, once graced the back lawn of a lovely home that belonged to my great-great grandfather in Milton, Massachusetts. Sadly the garden was lost over time and the house is no longer in my family, but the memories of the house and it’s garden live on in this one precious photograph and the stories passed down from generation to generation. Growing up, I was always intrigued by this image of the garden and it haunted my dreams often as a child. I’ve always been fascinated with all things Japanese, but I knew not why. I often wondered if somehow I had inherited this interest through my gene pool. Is that even possible?

In the end, the image inspired a reflective, dream-filled moment in time.

^{She dreamed of Japan
Savoring diary entries made on a journey taken oh so long ago
Examining with great care fragile treasures passed down
     through generations from father to son to son and now to daughter
Gazing at faded photos of an iris garden that once was,
     now lost to time – pagoda, tea house, bridged pond filled with koi
Imagining kimono-clad guests, illuminated by lanterns
     on warm summer evenings 
For now, she will paint iris and continue to dream}

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This post is part of the annual month-long Slice of Life writing challenge organized by Two Writing Teachers. Join us! It’s my second year of Slicing in the challenge. (If you want to take a peek at the Padlet of writing ideas I’ve created, I’m happy to share. Click here! It grows every day.) And it’s Poetry Friday, too. Linda is hosting over at Teacher Dance. I hope you’ll stop by there as well and enjoy her floral-themed offering.

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