"Death's Garden"

“Death's Garden”

Upon a misty morning
The sun had yet to rise
He walked his garden pathway
To see each leafy prize.

The Gardener admired
His Lilies, standing tall
The Periwinkle growing
Along his garden wall.

Upon a misty morning
The sun about to rise
He took a step, then waited
To hear the Mandrake cries.

The lovely Belladonna
With berries almost black
And pure-white Angel’s Trumpet
Along his garden track.

Upon a misty morning
The sun begins to rise
The Gardener must hurry
And sharpen all his scythes.

His other job is calling
His garden now must wait
Instead of live things growing
Life taking is his fate.

Upon a misty morning
The sun is in the sky
Each garden needs a Reaper
All living things must die.

abcb 7-6-7-6



Note:
There are specific reasons for each plant in Death's garden. White lilies have long been associated with death. They were often placed on the body of the corpse in earlier times and are still commonly used as a funeral flower.

Vinca minor is commonly called “periwinkle”. One of the folk-names of Vinca minor is "Flower of Death" because it was woven into a band worn by dead children and was planted in particular on the graves of infants. In medieval times it was woven into crowns to be worn by criminals on their way to execution.

The mandrake is a strongly narcotic and poisonous member of the nightshade family, having a fleshy, often forked root that somewhat resembles a human form. The root is said to shriek when pulled from the ground.

Belladonna, also called deadly nightshade is another poisonous member of the nightshade family, having purplish-red flowers and black berries.

Datura, which has been called “Angel’s Trumpet” (and “Devil’s Trumpet”), has long, white trumpet-shaped flowers. It is yet another member of the nightshade family and has poisonous, narcotic, and hallucinogenic properties.