For my birthday, my boyfriend, bought me two bouquets of lilies.

I placed the lighter, upstairs, in our bedroom.

The smell of the darker set of lilies, it was muted,

But the light ones’ exuded, aromatic perfume.

The dark lilies, I left on a table downstairs.

Those dark ones’ are torn, visual scars that they bear-

as if they were man-handled carelessly.

The lighter flowers’ petals formed, unfolding perfectly.

Light bouquet must have been tended with more mindfulness.

Reminding us to treat our loved ones with more special acts of loving-kindness, love more carefully.

The light ones’ stamens still dripping with life, their carpels a powder orange stain.

The dark ones’ innards now dry and withered,

Through no choice of their own, they’re no longer the same.

Some of the dark buds will soon perish.

Never to radiate fragrant perfume.

Some of the dark buds will soon perish, never to open.

With not even the good fortune to bloom.

And I know my boyfriend sees me as the young bright lilies,

bursting with life and a powder orange stain.

Many more of my flowers still expected to open,

to exude fragrant perfume, and to reach full bloom,

not soon- but someday.

I see myself as a mix of them both. Though

a few of my flowers were man-handled carelessly,

now my love tends my bouquets with kindness, carefully.

May all my flowers be blessed to still open.

Fill my life, aromatic perfume.

May all of my flowers be blessed to still open,

Happiness, blessed best

of good fortune,

Soon Bloom