A Cautionary Tale

Once, a little Spanish girl
was given a "regalo" --
a dainty little potted plant,
a purple-petalled mallow.

She set it in a sunny spot,
beneath a southern window,
re-housed it in an iron pot
and named it, "Don Galindo".

She gave it water every day,
and gave its loam a hoeing.
She talked to it and petted it,
and marveled at its growing.

Her plant rose tall and strong and fine,
rewarding all her labors:
"Te quiero!" sighed the little girl:
"Que raro!" cried the neighbors.

Joy never lasts, grief always comes,
said someone (maybe Byron?)
Galindo's roaming, ravenous roots
were hemmed-in by the iron.

The fine plant sickened and declined,
all hopes of salvage scuppered:
its lower parts, by steel confined,
could not sustain the upper.

And so, the moral of our tale -- 
resisting is not giving.
Do not preclude, prevent, prevail -- 
rigidity's all very well,
but soon turns heaven into hell!
Give in to me -- 
set us both free --
don't cramp or crowd --
things disallowed
can hardly go on living.

 

Author's Note

regalo -- present, gift (Spanish)
Te quiero! -- I love you! (Spanish)
Que raro! -- How strange! (Spanish)

Reviews

[Nora]

I thought this was a very touching poem which flows beautifully.
:)

[Arezzo]

Thank you very much! "Flow" is something I try very hard to attain. It's very nice of you to say that i may have succeeded!