*
Flower of love and of greed and of scorn
Perfect, enduring, a symbol ignored
Crown for a ruler or madness for Dutch
Raised to the heavens and dropped into dust
*
Emblem of paradise, supporting the poor
Spread from the seeds or the bulbs to increase
Wealth and the prospects of royal delights
Vintage or modern or ancient and wise
*
Tempests abounded and spun out their fate
Triumph and Rembrandt grew early and late
Apricot parrots and lily flowered wonders
Medleys and hybrids and singles and groups
Vied for a space on a tulip mad globe
*
*
© HMH, 2021