Blue dawn

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo

 

THE plants have grown so well in the tiny paradise I nurtured to honor the moonshine and the sunshine. Some people still gather the flowers and run away with cuttings, but some have learned to knock on my door to ask for the names of the vines crawling in between the thorns of the bougainvilleas and to ask for cuttings. I was surprised to find a man approach the door, walking carefully in between the plants which were designed to allow just one person at a time to enter.

“Sorry, I startled you. I am here for my wife. She had passed by your house several times looking at the morning glory and wanted to request for a cutting with roots.”

“I can give you a cutting but you have to root the cutting yourself. I will show you how to do it so it will thrive in her garden.”

“Oh, thank you so much, she will truly be so happy. By the way, I am Raymond Arriola, we live in Matimtiman.”

“Just a minute, I will get my cutter.”

“I brought a cutter, too.”

This guy is determined to please his wife. Imagine bringing a cutter! He reminded me of so many men and women nowadays, merrily cutting away plants on the road, “adopting” plants that have overgrown outside the perimeter fence of residential and office areas, encroaching on the sidewalks. Maybe men are doing it for their women, or maybe these men are truly plant lovers themselves.

Morning glory is one of the common names of Ipomoea indica. In some countries it is referred to as blue morning glory, ocean blue morning glory, koali awa, blue dawn flower. It has a dramatic array of blue flowers that exudes a romantic and sensual essence that is transitory, turning pink as it closes its blooms towards the afternoon. It closes much later when it rains in the morning, when the sun hides itself behind the dark clouds, sustaining its glory longer, from the magic of the darkness and the potency of the rain.

 

Catch a raindrop

it rained on my face

today, I tasted your breath

sweet drops from heaven

 

like I would taste you

in the rim of the coffee cup

we shared, early mornings

with the breath of pine trees

 

before I sleep

tonight, ride with the moonbeams

i will stick my tongue out

for you, sweet raindrop.

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