The Flowers Say

By Larry Troxel

Poetry is a packsack of invisible keepsakes,” Carl Sandberg once said. We are blessed with the gift of memory or a packsack of keepsakes or memories of things special, pleasurable, and inspirational along with a recall of things not so much so. In my packsack is an array of events, thoughts and things that hopefully appeals to the reader of this book. As is usually my way, I ask readers of my poems across the country to read and comment on them and here is what a few have said:

"Wonderful, Larry! You are a great poet. Such vivid imagery! Love it!"

"Your best words ever, Larry."

"Just so beautiful. Now I’m crying."

"So sweet. Made me cry."

"Can’t read this without tears both of sorrow and thanks for those lives gone."

"What a nice way to tell a story."

"A history lesson and really good poem all rolled into one. With the news from the past couple of days, this is written at a good time. You’ve no idea how much I appreciate your sharing your poems with me. I always look forward to reading them."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664128033

Larry Troxel

Besides Take a Thought...Wholesome and Good, I have publish five other books: Poums, Salms & Felosophy; Poems, prn; As a Pierian Spring; The River Rhyme; and In the End We are All Stories. Writing poetry has been an ancillary to my career as a criminal and civil investigator with the sheriff's department, the district attorney's office and a second career career as a private Certified Legal Investigator covering a span of 50 years. I've been a contributing covering a span of 50 years. I've been a contributing author of many professional publications and was honored several times by the National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI)'s annual Editor-Publisher Award. With NALI and Intellenet's Annual Conference, I've also been a featured speaker, as well as with California and Oregon's professional associations of private investigators.

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Copyright © 2020 by Larry Troxel.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 09/02/2020

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Preface

About Flowers

A Flower’s Power

A Pansy’s Hope

Burl’s Rose

Garden of Life

It Began with the Hibiscus

Language of Flowers

Lala’s Garden

The Flowers Say (also a song)

The Wild Flower Bouquet

Whoa! Look At Me

Variously Sundries

Ain’t I a Woman?—Sojourner Truth

An Old Picture, Newly Found

Another Leap Year

Ask of God

At the Pantheon

Blackberry Pickin’

Devon’s Song

Different Stripes

Doors

Fish Smuggler of Dunwedon

God Knows Who You Are

God’s Chosen Vessels

Gondoliers’ Song

Grace of Dying

He is the Lifeline

Hugging Is Healthy

I Looked Two when I Was Three

I Ought

In Case I Die

Leo’s Obituary

Light of Forgiveness

Look!

Magic of Mistletoe

Manu’s Dream

My Dear Valentine

Nowadays a Frequent Notice

Once Julia

Path of Miscellany

That Stewart-Warner Radio

The Old Man on the Porch

Time of Goodbye’ing

Troxels in a Nutshell

Upon This Tree

What of Quintus?

Preface

Nearing the end of the writing season, The Flowers Say was

inspired by the beauty of the blooms that Lala plants and

beautify our home. The vivacious Hibiscus featured on

the cover is one of the first to spectacularly blossom this

year and is always a symbol of beauty and charm. Thus a

flower, like a moving poem, is as a symphony of sound.

Tis as a book of poetry of varying schemes

Unknown though you may guess its themes

And sometimes titles, of course, give a hint

So peruse the table and riffle the print.

~Path of Miscellany~

Dedicated to

Lala

About Flowers

A Flower’s Power

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The power is its beauty and awe

That evolves from bud to flower

It may be an irresistible draw

That oft o’ercomes willpower.

Tis a delight from God to you and I

That enthralls the soul when seen

It whispers and then you sigh

Choosing to languor by its mien.

Flower power mends a heart broken

Declares an undeclared I love you

It stirs a passion as a forever token

And restores the heart anew.

So cherish blooms that have grown

That imbues a subtle drift of fragrance

Petals so soft in colors they atone

For you a special time of radiance.

A Pansy’s Hope

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Breezes wisped over the home in early spring

With it came leaves, seeds and other things

Drifting along floated a dainty pansy seed

Tumbling into a small terrace crack to recede.

Only God and the tiny ant knew it came

It snuggled into a morsel of soil unclaimed

On occasion the gardener unknowingly sprayed

Wetting the seed—maybe a bouquet someday.

Grateful not to fall where it was