Waterlily

Waterlily

Ice glistens
above the sparkles
of thousands of diamonds
casting a glow far below
where old roots still rot.

They keep my buds snug,
my leaves quiescent.

In the thaw mud stirs
and my heart bobs
to sunlight, to the return
of beetles and bugs;
the duckweed floats green
far above me.

I put forth a leaf
then another;
purple veined,
round, they recover
and spread on the taut surface
tension. Stalks strengthen
as I break to the top,
twenty some petals
kept tight in a hug.

Days lengthen
as I brave the cool nights.
By starlight I grasp what is bright.
I open my finery,
awake at the dawn.

Gold fingers now spread
with a rainbow of dew.

For I am the orb that sings on the waters
to bring down the sun, stars and moon
I, Chromatella,
bearer of light,
bring forth the zenith of noon.

© Kåre Enga

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for this contest (item, waterlily; emotion, awe):

ID: 955733   (Rated: 13+) Spinning Nouns  A new and different poetry contest! Come take a look and enter! by Tigger thinks of Prancer

Chromatella photo links:
http://members.cox.net/jclements16/chromatella.html
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=U410
http://www.pondkoi.com/plant_pop/HLS-064.htm

note to self: 4/4/07 edit bloom>bring in last line.