You came from The Cape of Good Hope
the land of proteas, frangipani and antelope
I was there but not in the seventeenth century
rather, I waited for you to arrive from history

Your dark violet blue flowers looked my way
as though they had something special to say
they said that you will deny me three times
whe you arrive in these wonderful climes

But there I was amongst beautiful flowers
amazing in the place where Shaw said:
that, 'They have no scent and the birds have
no song,' even great men err - he was wrong

I t was a time of transition, bright light
not only dark magical blooms but pure white

I CAN BUILD YOU A DREAM BUT YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT',
I'LL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DON'T REQUIRE - MAYBE A SPIRE,
YOUR REQUESTS BECOME THE OBJECT OF MY DESIRE,
IF YOU'RE HAPPY, THEN MY FANTASY IS FOR HIRE;
WATER FEATURES ARE MANDATORY, TRANQUIL, PLEASING,
WE CAN EVEN TRY SOME QUANTITATIVE EASING - RIGHT?
AND GIVE YOU SOME NOOKS AND CRANNIES WITH WHAT'S LEFT;
NOW PLANTING SOFTENS THE BLOWS, BRINGS DOWN HIGHS AND LOWS,
WHY YOU NEEDED A PURPLE AGAPANTHUS - GOD ONLY KNOWS,
A SOUTH - FACING VIEW IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO,
WITH A JACUZZI IN BEDROOM TWO, COLOURS WILL BE
MAUVE, PINK AND AUBERGINE - ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU A MIGRAINE;
I CAN ONY HOPE THAT YOU LIKE THIS WONDERFUL *******,
BECAUSE ALL OF THE MATERIALS WERE A NATURAL SELECTION!

Love has its color
The sweet tangerines, too
The sun shines brightly
On the trees and grass
The water was reflecting
An agapanthus growing near
A lavender in the clear.

I saw your garden
For the first time in months
All the perennials had
Trebled in size
The agapanthus, by the wall,
Put out many heads
And by the fence
The large poppies
And fluted penstemons
Flutter in the breeze
Which sways the hollyhocks
To and fro
On that same windy spot.


Love Mum to Victoria ***

The agapanthus!

it's still there
in the garden
growling

I'm sure that it's a lion.