95 Comments
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Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

You’re a true professional. I’m feeling a little out of my depth. Don’t remember the last time that occurred. ;)

Brian Funke's avatar

Thank Hudson, I enjoy doing it! It’s fun to meet people here who appreciate writing!

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

I would fit into that demographic. I just appreciate people who are good at whatever they do. It’s really easy to appreciate folks who excel at a fine art.

I can’t believe how many amazing writers I’ve met in just a few months. So grateful I stumbled into the platform, you and many other fine writers.

Meg of the North's avatar

Am I biased because of a great fondness for the gorgeous variety in lilacs? I love scent memory - walking into a room and suddenly getting a whiff of something that sparks a time traveling, intense, memory that lasts to brief a time?

I truly enjoyed this poem. An honor to Lillian’s and life affirming.

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

YES. At least for me. Olfactory is THE memory trigger!!!

Nathan Slake's avatar

Scent is always such a strong memory trigger for me. It's quite crazy how emotions can be so latched to a single scent. Yesterday, I walked past someone in the city who happened to be wearing a perfume someone I knew at uni wore. Even though I haven't seen that person for 20 years, that smell transported me back to university and being there with them.

Journalisa's avatar

It worked for Proust as well.

A. Christine Myers's avatar

I love the unbroken flow from the beauty of the more general to the personal, and all in a few short lines. Wonderful!

Brian Funke's avatar

Thank you! I’m proud of this one. It just popped out a year or so ago…nice when that happens.

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

The cosmos is spinning as it should. If we let it, wonderful things happen. At least for me, when I pick up the stirring stick, things go sideways. Patience, not one of my wheelhouse qualities.

As if you didn’t know? lolol

Journalisa's avatar

Maybe patience isn't necessary, just permission.

Patris's avatar

Beautiful celebration of love and the yet speaks of enjoying the transient nature of - well, lilacs, or love . Brief but nevertheless committed to returning…

Nathan Slake's avatar

You captured my feelings far better than I could have put into words, Patris. That's exactly how I felt when reading this.

Thanks for sharing this one, Brian, and lovely photo to go with it, Hudson.

Patris's avatar

Because we’re fools or romantics?

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Do they have to be mutually exclusive? ;)

Paul Wittenberger's avatar

Lovely poem celebrating lilacs and love. My mother’s lilac blossomed like Hudson’s photo. The poem and the photo brought back memories of both. Thank you, Brian & Hudson!

Brian Funke's avatar

I love hearing that, thanks Paul!

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Thank you for saying that Paul. I must defer to Brian. He made me look good.

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

There’s something sentimental about lilacs to every resident of North America. I think of the women of the settlers. Obviously cooked, cleaned, mothered, doctored, Lord only knows what else. Yet somehow kept a cutting of Grandma‘s lilac alive to plant at the new Homestead.

Patris's avatar

We had a lilac by the door for years until she gave up. My husband dug her up and gave me her roots, twirled like licorice whips.

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

I love making something cool out of a toss away item to most. Kudos to him!!!

Katharine Beckett Winship's avatar

Brian, what a gorgeous collaboration. 🌱

You plus Hudson plus lilac, plus sun and soil and so much more.

Thank you for giving Lilac her pronoun.❤️

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Thank you. In truth, I simply furnished Brian the shot. It’s all him. Not just wonderful prose, but page design is perfect. The OCD in me appreciates that beyond all measure.

I believe it a safe assumption Mizzou J school would be proud of Brian. Alumni or not. 😉

Brian Funke's avatar

Thanks for recognizing the page design! The little things matter 👍

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

She would kick your butt if you called it “a little thing” in her presence. . She spends 22 hours a week in the gym as an ACE certified spinning instructor and BodyFlow professor.

Just a heads up.

lololol

I’m positive her editing skills are brilliant also. That’s what she does now on her own. I think she inherited a little generational money. Good for her. She’s Lucidity, editing and layout. Santa Fe, NM.

I think mostly she travels and writes about it. Good gig if you can get it!

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

One of my serial monogamy partners had the degree that I mentioned. She did that exact thing as layout editor for both Christie’s Great Estates, latter Stereophile Magazine. If nothing else, I like to think I see what I’m looking at. I know with complete certainty, it was carefully and wonderfully crafted.

Katharine Beckett Winship's avatar

Hudson, there is something about your choices: the light, the angle, the composition. Flowers are easy subjects; they are just so beautiful. But your photograph is more than that. I hope you take the compliment.🌱

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Flattery will get you everywhere……😉

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Most certainly. Being away from the Midwest for 35 years has allowed me to except a compliment with a bit of Grace. ;)

Hi sample use the basic rules of backlight in the framing of the golden ratio. That’s about it. But yeah, plant sex is gorgeous!! lol

Brian Funke's avatar

The pronoun happened naturally when I wrote this a year ago. Now, thanks to your writing, I would do it intentionally!

Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

anticipating

via your tender scented words

and petals

the lilac tree

across the road

greening itself

it is I

the awaited one

as my beloved man

returns on Friday

beautiful blossoms

fresh as my soul

bouquet

for our tenth anniversary

Lilac

in the flesh

in this moment

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Brilliant, Ms Deborah! 🙏

Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

I was immediately struck by

" When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed." Thanks for your poem and the thread provoked.

Brian Funke's avatar

Mr. Whitman knew what he was doing!

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

I am remiss, Malcolm. Your recent work has been brilliant!! Thank you.

Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

Nay. Not remiss. Just busy.

Been there.

Be well.

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

I sincerely appreciate your graciousness. Still, I should endeavor to do better. I found time to consume it……….

Ann Collins's avatar

This is an evocative combination--well done, Brian & Hudson! Such a nostalgic flower for me. We had a tall, purple lilac bush in the backyard of my childhood home. My mom used to cut blossoms, fill vases, and put them all over the house: on the dining room table, in the entry hall, and in little vases on each bedside table. I would drift off to sleep on a cloud of that special, once-a-year scent. 💜

Brian Funke's avatar

Sounds about perfect😊

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

So kind of you. Appreciate it!!

Christopher Meesto Erato's avatar

Nice collaboration!

Chris J. Franklin's avatar

That's really great. It beautifully captures how powerful scents can be and how they can trigger memories. Nice job... 😎

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Bryan is an exceptionally fine writer.

Jonathan Potter's avatar

double beauty

Charlotte Pendragon's avatar

I can smell the lilacs when I read your poem! Thank you!

Charlotte Pendragon's avatar

My pleasure! ♥️

Teàrlach's avatar

This is lovely. The last couplet and what precedes it.

R. Rangan PhD's avatar

Just lovely!!! Thanks for sharing

Stanley Wotring's avatar

Anticipation is memories personified.

Stanley Wotring's avatar

I’m not sure about the grammar, it’s late at night but you know what I mean .

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

We do! “Not sure about the grammar” is my existence….

Hudson E Baldwin lll's avatar

Are we pro Oxford comma or not? Can we have a position on the Oxford comma? Elements of style escape me. As if you hadn’t noticed…….

~ palm to forehead ~

Stanley Wotring's avatar

Ha ha, I should be in bed but I’m watching a subtitled Korean series on Netflix, please forgive them.