Exotic Flowers in Boston

In a day and age where sports have seemingly become the most important thing to watch, talk about and read about with the exception of politics, it’s no wonder why people are starting to forget about some of the finer pieces of literature a library or bookstore can offer patrons.  Too often, the latest ho-hum debut of a baseball biography will take the place of both children and adults reaching out to the finer novels that undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.  Take poetry for instance… Do you know that this means of writing can also enhance a person’s hand eye coordination, problem solving skills and overall intelligence?  What about the notion that prose directly affects a human being’s capability to react and cope with higher emotional control that of a person who denies this genre all together?  It makes you wonder why are we ignoring this ever so important source of learning?  Dylan Thomas once said,

“Poetry is what in a poem makes you laugh, cry, prickle, be silent, makes your toenails twinkle, makes you want to do this or that or nothing, makes you know that you are alone in the unknown world, that your bliss and suffering is forever shared and forever all your own.”

That’s a pretty great reason to brush up on a little Keats or Poe but some of you may be wondering, what does that has to do with flowers?  The answer is EVERYTHING when you make the connection.  Both poetry and flowers are a form of artistic expression which demand a person to search below the surface to understand its meaning.  Whether you have grown a patch of sunflowers in the garden or arranged your favorite spring blooms in a vase, you are penning your own form of communication that doesn’t necessarily require an overt explanation. Much like putting together word on word stanzas, blossoms also have to find a way to dance together in an appealing manner which gives off the appearance of an important statement.  Designers are well aware of that they are not only piecing together a bouquet of cut flowers but making a symphony of feelings and emotions much like poet seeks out to do with his/her writing.  

If you feel like neither of these two areas have been explored lately, maybe it’s time to try your hand at both?  Still not convinced?  Read these wise quotes preached by the experts who claim flowers and poetry or for the true renaissance man.

“Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them.” ― Dennis Gabor

“Pure mathematics is, in a way, the poetry of logical ideas.”  – Albert Einstein

“Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.” ― Heinrich Heine

At Exotic Flowers in Boston, we are huge baseball fans. We sponsor little league teams in Boston and Westwood. We even sponsored the Red Sox from 2007-2009. The Official Florist of the Boston Red Sox was cool and we still maintain a lot of contacts at Fenway Park. We remain strong supporters of the arts and literature, we enjoy sharing classic poems with our friends.

Below is the poem

"The Base Stealer" by Robert Francis 

Poised between going on and back, pulled

Both ways taut like a tightrope-walker,

Fingertips pointing the opposites,

Now bouncing tiptoe like a dropped ball

Or a kid skipping rope, come on, come on,

Running a scattering of steps sidewise,

How he teeters, skitters, tingles, teases,

Taunts them, hovers like an ecstatic bird,

He's only flirting, crowd him, crowd him,

Delicate, delicate, delicate, delicate - now!

This poem is offered in almost every high school English class. I first read this poem at The Roxbury Latin School. It has stuck with me all these years and I am happy to share it with you.

My favorite base stealer was Rickey Henderson. Who was yours ? Henderson signed this card me as teenager. He was always great with the fans. If you ever want to know how cool a guy Henderson was, read this article by social media giant Gary V.

You’ve bought the candy, made the reservation at her favorite restaurant and now its time to order flowers.  You’ve decided to go with a pretty mix of vibrant colors instead of the traditional red roses and you’re feeling pretty good about the Valentine’s Day plans you’ve made so far.  There’s just one small problem…what do you say on the card to make her really understand your deep felt sentiments?  It has to be personal, original, meant for her eyes-only but what words do you choose to say? 

Relax, there’s a simple model for successfully conquering this common anxiety ridden task.  The first thing that needs to be done is to truly understand what feelings you want to convey.  Is it love or lust?  Is the relationship casual or serious?  How long have you been together?  Is this a long-standing partnership or brand new?  What about her personality?  Is she romantic, creative, sensitive or funny?  See, all of these aspects must be weighed before taking out that pen to scribe your feelings.  Unfortunately, a message ill written or taken the wrong way may be destructive to your relationship with your Valentine so your card has to be clear.  Once you’ve decided which thematic path you wish to travel on, commit and select the perfect message that conveys those feelings.  These are a few of my favorites that have put a smile on my face. 

For the Valentine whose put in her time over the years:

Cupid’s aim is still pretty good!

For the 1-2 year relationship:

With you, it’s Valentine’s Day 365 days of the year.

For the 70’s peppy music lover:

How sweet it is, to be loved by you!

For the 80’s sentimental music lover:

You take my breadth away….

For the unsuspecting Valentine:

Be Mine

For the math loving Valentine:

You + Me = Forever     or       You + Me + Perfect

For the exotic romantic language loving Valentine:

Je t’aime

For the Poetry lover:

Even in a fairy tale where every dream comes true, I could never hope to find a husband/wife as sweet as you.

For the “Working Things Out” Valentine:

The best proof of love is trust

Suzie and Rick Canale were married on July 12, 2003. Their wedding song was Love by Nat King Cole.

I love reading but I love writing more.  My taste in genres range from children’s books to mysteries, romance to historical fiction but what I really love the most is poetry.  It’s the tempo, the flow, the gentle way that the words bring you softly through a story or thought, which makes prose one of the highest respected forms of writing in the literary industry.  Boston is full of talented poets that use their talents to express feelings, opinions and outlooks on what they experience.  You might find them on their laptops in coffee shops or maybe scribing on a notepad on a bench in the Commons but wherever they find their inspiration, there is no doubt the remarkable perceptions that they give readers.

One Boston poet that has particularly caught my attention is the Silently Spoken Project (J.J. aka JustKnoxx) who uses social media platforms such as Instagram (@silentlyspokenproject) to promote his work.  His primary quote featured on his page, “Even in silence, you have a voice” speaks volumes of his style, which I find to be direct, phrased in strength and refreshingly honest.  While he seems to prefer writing about topics reflecting on themes of love, he has successfully built an archetype that is original and marketable.  One of my favorite’s read, “If you genuinely love someone, don’t ever decorate their eyes with tears, their ears with lies, and their heart with a wound.”

This artist has cleverly been accruing more and more interest on his media sites and continues to grow his following with both men and women (I like how he speaks to both sexes).  In doing a quick search, I’ve already found several web pages showcasing his poetry including Facebook, Iconosquare and Tumblr.  If your looking for a great account to follow, this is the guy to find and from one writer to the next, I’ll be following the silentlyspokenproject to be sure not to miss this Bostonian’s genuine poetic talent.  Best of luck to your future writing endeavors, J.J!

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA

The holidays are over,

It’s the start of a new year,

Time to make our resolutions,

And really kick them in high gear.

For some of us, we’ve promised,

To shed those extra pounds,

Or form a stronger backbone,

By standing firmer on their grounds.

We promise to be nicer,

To our neighbors and our friends,

Maybe try to be more neater,

By taking care of odds and ends.

But whatever deals we make this time,

Remember to have fun,

This should be what we all put first,

On our lists as number one!

So as we start the first month,

And attempt the unforeseen

I wish to you a healthy, happy,

And exciting 2015!

 photo credit Flower Factor / Aboutflowers.com

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA