To entertain or perhaps to distract herself from overwhelming thoughts,
She reads; she reads anything.
She stumbles upon the meanings of flowers
To each a lovely meaning
Some meant beauty, some meant love, some meant power.
For a bittersweet flower has a wonderful truth,
And a bluebell for one's humility.
Though she strives to be as beautiful and delicate as a hibiscus,
She knows she is not a coreopsis
but the sadness of a willow,
She knows she can not have the joy of a bird of paradise;
For she is the sorrow of a purple hyacinth.
She is not but the saddest flowers of all.
