Neither shy nor shrinking,
vibrant orange blooms
jostling with neighbors for territory.
First to show in a bed not yet
reclaimed from winter’s neglect;
last to go, refusing extinguishment
by autumn’s bluster.
Wallflower, who ever thought to name an
awkward, peripheral introvert after you?
dVerse quadrille prompt: bloom: write a poem of exactly 44 words and include the word “bloom.”
What Rhymes with Stanza? 
Love that you’ve personified the flower to the point of “jostling with neighbors for territory” and does not give in to autumn’s bluster! And love the question at the end! So glad you posted to the prompt!
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Thank you. This was a fun prompt.
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Beautiful poem, Maggie! I especially love the rhythm of the sounds in the verse: “first to show in a bed not yet / reclaimed from winter’s neglect;” Love the title of the poem too! :’)
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Thank you, Hope.
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I love your closing lines, Maggie–well put. Introverts are often misjudged, too 😉
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Indeed we are 😉
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Maggie, “last to go, refusing extinguishment / by autumn’s bluster” feels strong and stubborn to me, like those flowers won’t let the cold win 🌼
~David
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