You came to me in the robes of Cyclamen

You came to me in the robes of Cyclamen 

But how can I bring you a bouquet of red chrysanthemums? 

When I have not found any white chrysanthemums in the bouquet of your heart? Do not pluck the petals of my pure daisies with your eyes closed, 

lest you would be fooled by your wild guesses. Because, you do not need to set your foot on twelve daisies 

before you can see the dawn of your spring

I will give you neither white nor red daisies after the last swallow of summer has flown away from your alcove, 

lest your dreams of them in autumn leave you heartbroken in winter. 

In my wanderlust quest for Ivy

I did not find you in the bloom of Orange Blossom or in Lemon Blossom 

But I found you entangled in the paphiopedilum orchids of Phaphos 

With a garland of Peach Blossom dangling from your ringed neck 

Like a rose entangled in your own thorns 

Then I disentangled you before I led you to the lyceum of my Muses 

They welcomed you with the petals of Apple Blossom cast at your bleeding feet. 

They wiped your tears away with the golden petals of yellow roses and bathed you in the pool of the Coral Rose. They covered you with the Peach Rose and led you into the bed of my Rose of Persia before I came to you with my bouquet of the white Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley. 

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the author of four books, Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye, Mugabe, The Nigerian Fools Who Think They Can Fool God and the new book Barack Obama: In the Eyes of the Storm will be released in Fall, and he is also an illustrator of over 12 booklets on Family Planning, FGM and other subjects.