Hiding Flowers
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Vulnerability takes courage.
My flower is mysterious
She is my prize possession
I don’t easily share her perfume
She’s my soul’s expression
She never seems to age
As I keep her tucked inside
Though she’s occasionally admired
By some stranger passing by
But then I quickly clutch her
To my heart or in my bag
So others cannot gaze at her
Which often makes me mad
Maybe it is fear
That keeps me holding her close
Don’t think that I should reveal her
To anyone up close
If they would get a better view
They might see tatters there
The faded edges of my hopes
And my indentured prayers
They might see vulnerability
In the colors fading so
They might find in chink
In the armor I’ve so carefully sewn
But every once in a blue moon
A special soul arrives
Who wears THEIR mysterious flower
And shows it boldly on the outside
Someone who says it’s okay
To let another in
Okay to share my flower
Whatever state she’s in
And it’s then I realize
How good it is to have a friend
Someone who can accept me
Tattered edges can be damned
And when I open my heart
To let another in
I find another blossom there
Growing beautifully within
Perhaps I’ll learn to wear them
My spiritual bouquet
Instead of hiding them from sight
And hiding ME each day
May we all find the courage that’s needed
To let down the walls of our pride
May our boldness finally be rewarded
When we stop hiding flowers inside
2023 © Miriam Shanks. All Right Reserved.