The Quintessence of the Rose of Sharon

right here

in a flower.

the power

of a color

tender lavender

petals

All year we wait for

our beloved blooms to arrive.

Now they are here

outside the window

now

the Rose of Sharon

how 

do eye take them

in the lavender

 there is a 

red star that explodes

in five 

in every

direction and frames

 the fuzzy

stamen inside.

don't look past the flower.
trace it

In the blink of your

eye,

you will see

in the dictionary that the

stamen

is

"the fundamental element or                                             quintessence of a thing."

How do we possibly

absorb 

the quintessence

of flowerness

Close your eyes

try to picture it 

snap a photo
to capture

Try to make it last

in the camera of the 

mind's eye

but it
only

lasts

as long
as you

 stare some more.