Fathers carrying flowers

An honorarium from the heart of a mother.

This piece was inspired by my interactions with the work of Ophelia Jones. Her book ‘Men carrying flowers’ and her gently captured visual diary of just that— men carrying flowers sparked something soft in me. Her work became a catalyst for the beginnings of words I was trying to catch but couldn’t quite hold. This written piece ‘Fathers carrying flowers’ upon landing, was written as an honorarium from my heart as a mother to my lover, a piece capturing my adoration for his gentle yet fiercely important role as a father to our three daughters.

 I 

can

tell,

this 

is 

your 

dream 

come 

true,

it’s your seriousness about love,

it’s how I know, 

it’s how I knew. 

You carry them as flowers

gently in your hand,

giving space for them to grow

your heart, a place to land.

And in the trueness of your love

you see them brightly glow,

they’ll never have to question once

your love,

their heart will know.

And as they lean towards the light

to grow and simply be,

they’ll always know they are enough

your love, it sets them free.

A Father carrying flowers

a cape that you behold,

carrying them with utmost beauty

my favourite story told.

You

are 

the

least 

serious

person

I

know

but it’s your seriousness about love,

It’s how I knew, 

it’s how they know. 

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'Men Carrying Flowers' by Ophelia Jones

To see more of Ophelias work please visit here. Upon writing this piece I reached out to Ophelia, artist to artist to ask her if she minded me giving title to the piece as I have, and with her glorious permission it was titled as it is ‘Fathers carrying flowers’.

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Below is a recent lyrical piece that might adjoin beautifully to this reading moment if you care for some more —