I want to tame
that feral child
living within
who often
sits on my tongue
or on those tapping fingers
and blurts out.
Shh, shh.
No hurt word child.
Be the lemon flower.
Play with the bees, sunbirds…
nestling in the flower-cup
sweetening their mouth.
That glint of light
in their eyes
is love, respect
for this white cup of petals.
Store nectar-words, dear child,
unfurl thy petals-
wait-
for your bees, sunbirds…..
Posted for Susan’s Midweek Motif ~ Respect @ Poets United
sumanar/lekha 
You do have nectar words…
Everything in nature goes at its own pace whilst man (and women) want to hurry things along. Minds you I am quite content now for the flowers on my balcony to do what they will and the tomato plants now doubt will produce in due season and I respect them for that!
I wish I had written this. I wish I could do it, too, be so seductive while chiding myself. Thank you, thank you!
I enjoyed the imagery in this poem, thanks for sharing it.
Sumana, how beautiful and inspiring! Gorgeous words and images! Wow! You lifted my heart up as I read.
This is sweet and beautiful. Makes me consider hot to instill a sense of respect for nature in my grandkids.
Be the lemon flower.
Play with the bees, sunbirds…
nestling in the flower-cup
sweetening their mouth.
So beautiful You have a great way with words Loved it
This is so beautiful and inspiring.
This is a very lovely way to say speak with respect. Your images are so vivid.
This is beautiful….such insight about a child’s thoughts and instincts…loved this!
A beautiful weaving of nectar words However I like your feral child within. It makes you human and dynamic…tame her and you will find yourself comatosed , lying at the bottom of a vat of honey:)
😀
A gorgeous poem, Sumana! The feral inner child is so powerful yet pure…!! Lovely….
Love the fact that it had brought good childhood memories too.Thank you….Inspiring piece.
Yes, I remember, “If you can’t say something nice, say nothing.”
So, true human race needs to respect and be in harmony whit nature.
‘Store nectar-words, dear child’ a wise and lovely piece of advice.
Although I really like the gentleness and quieting tone of this, we must not forget that Nature also has a feral reality that allows it to bend and to continue to grow,
Elizabeth
What a wise and beautiful take on respect!
Absolutely stunning… taming ‘that feral child” …