The Mahjong Flowers
Orchid
Lone in the cold of working solitude,
The scholar and the orchid strain to bear
Ripe blooms that otherwise remain as rare
As fertile virtue in the multitude.
But in their Suzhou courtyard’s quiet mood,
Assisted by the garden’s warming air,
New vigor hums as broad leaves sprout a pair
Of slender stems. Each forms a bud to brood
For weeks above the roots. They carry power
To cause emergence of an orchid flower,
Striped, spotted, solid, rich or pale of hue,
A wondrous complicated symmetry
Displaying tangible integrity
Where Song’s long-lasting beauty welcomes you.
Suzhou: Chinese city known for classical gardens
Song dynasty (960–1279): era of advanced culture
Bamboo
Upspringing to the sky, its tall stalks point
Incomparably straight, yet wavering still
Within the range set by each sturdy joint,
While twigs in breezes gaily volatile
Fluctuate nimbly, rustling sword-shaped leaves
To whisper soothingly as muted chime
Or unplucked samisen, whose faintness grieves
Brief leafspans torn to shreds before their prime.
A loud chorale by bamboo flutes begins—
A spirit hurricane devours their voice.
Mad clacking, scraping, roaring thunder thins
Percussive harmony into discordant choice,
Directing Susano-o’s melodrama
Storming green forces at Arashiyama.
Susano-o: Japanese Shinto god of wind and storm
Arashiyama: village known for impressive bamboo groves
samisen: lute-like Japanese instrument
Chrysanthemum
Hundreds of closed packed white chrysanthemums,
Milky blooms massed, a potted spectacular sphere,
At rest here near my writing desk, becomes
A pedestal of promise to persevere
In poetry prophetic of good cheer:
Its radiant burst explodes in rhapsodies
For those who know how stronger hearts cohere.
Imperial chrysanthemum, you ease
Desirable exertion that agrees
With sunny blessings Amatérasu grants
As colors glide through seasons’ galleries,
Making maturity a lively dance
Of ivory, topaz, copper, brick, and bronze,
Transmuting autumn into golden dawns.
Amaterasu: Japanese Shinto sun goddess, legendary ancestress of the imperial family
Plum
Youth on the verge of manifest renewal
Blooms readily when age strides independent
In mind and soul, with virtues more resplendent
Because of agony in their accrual.
The pink, white, red, or purple floral jewel
Betokens discipline in the ascendant,
Developing fidelity transcendent
As selflessness consumes the body’s fuel.
Lao Tzu, it’s said, was born beneath a plum:
His customary blossoms re-appear,
Good simple gems of wisdom in the Way
Instructing followers how they may come
To flower ultimately clean and clear
In spring when age-old plum sprays dazzle day.
Lao Tzu: Chinese sage (reputed 6th century BC), esteemed as founder of Taoism (the Way)
Margaret Coats lives in California. She holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University. She has retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others.
