Hibiscus - Jacinta Ramayah

I spied a shrub by the bank of a stream,
there my short legs took me,
Escaping from mummy’s clutches, a glory
of red flowers I had to see,
Five trumpet-like petals fluttered in the
breeze like maidens genteel,
I grasped a petal in my hand, I marvelled
at its delicate satiny feel,
In the centre, standing straight and proud,
was a golden stamen,
At its tip, pollens from the anther floated
like dust from heaven,
I took a whiff but there was no fragrance
like that of a rose,
And thankfully the leaves toothed edges
didn’t prick my nose,
I held nature’s beauty in my hand and was
filled with awe
That’s when I fell in love with a hibiscus
flower at the age of four.

---

Jacinta Ramayah (20th century) Malaysia
(Her poetry blog is here)