I, too, grew up with so many bougainvilleas in my southern California backyard, where my mom still lives and, at 89, cultivates her decades-old plants. Ah, those bright, crepey bracts!
I love it when you share a poem from your forthcoming collection--it gets me all excited!
And boy howdy do I know about romanticiizing longing. It's the entire theme of my Love & other Mysteries collection. And finding the only Love that satisfies.
Beautiful reflection and love this quote. I long for mountains, oceans ir small towns I have never been to sometimes but yes that is because of my true Home I am longing for.
i have never, in my life, seen bougainvillea (except in pictures). it always sounds quite impressive and expansive. but heavens, Rosa, your excerpts about tethering and place are really speaking clearly to me this year. <3
Thank you for the reminder about making an idol out of the past. The narratives we tell shape our perspectives and that urge to go home again can undermine our present.
Rosa, your reflections here are lovely; like Tania (below) I also grew up in Southern California and the can't-miss neon color of bougainvillea is a calling card that always says 'home.'
I look forward to your heart-filled poetry collection, amiga!
Such goodly words, Rosa! Lewis’s words and that elusive flower inspired the name of my own substack. As he told his friend Arthur, “Our best having are wantings.”
😭😭bello mi hija!!!! Y te leía y me reía al mismo tiempo😂😂 esa idea romántica que nunca se dio😊 te amo y extranjeros y peregrinos somos, esperando y apresurando para estar en esa ciudad celestial donde estaremos plenos porque estaremos con El! Te amo! ❤️
So beautiful Rosa and Lewis is my all time favorite writer so anytime I can read his words in an essay about beauty and goodness like you write here it’s pure joy. I love how you bring so much hope in your writing about the sacredness of flowers and also the fragility of life. Your poem here at the end is a gift and I can’t wait for the whole chapbook of words by you my friend !
One of my favorite songs is called “Bougainvillea Blues” by The Dip. Ha.
https://open.spotify.com/track/6DKsC0O2dxzhHSf4bwXdjT?si=pEpiDjK0TLK0oRf3TdiHNw
Loved this accompanying of thought and verse, really lovely to read and meditate on this evening.
“I brought you orange blossoms, you had bougainvillea blues.” Yep, that’s me. I have bougainvillea blues. 🥲
Thanks for reading, Zane! And for sharing that super cool song.
I, too, grew up with so many bougainvilleas in my southern California backyard, where my mom still lives and, at 89, cultivates her decades-old plants. Ah, those bright, crepey bracts!
I love it when you share a poem from your forthcoming collection--it gets me all excited!
And boy howdy do I know about romanticiizing longing. It's the entire theme of my Love & other Mysteries collection. And finding the only Love that satisfies.
Lovely words, Rosa. I love hearing about where you grew up! 💚
Thank you for this reminder, Rosa! As my dad would always say, “There is another world” and we truly were made for it! 🤍
Beautiful reflection and love this quote. I long for mountains, oceans ir small towns I have never been to sometimes but yes that is because of my true Home I am longing for.
i have never, in my life, seen bougainvillea (except in pictures). it always sounds quite impressive and expansive. but heavens, Rosa, your excerpts about tethering and place are really speaking clearly to me this year. <3
Thank you for the reminder about making an idol out of the past. The narratives we tell shape our perspectives and that urge to go home again can undermine our present.
Rosa, your reflections here are lovely; like Tania (below) I also grew up in Southern California and the can't-miss neon color of bougainvillea is a calling card that always says 'home.'
I look forward to your heart-filled poetry collection, amiga!
I love this poem! I love how it balances the belonging to a physical land here & now and also belonging to a land we don't have / haven't been to yet.
Oh I love that C.S. Lewis quote!
So beautiful, Rosa!! I've never been to the Dominican Republic, but somehow your poetic descriptions still make me feel nostalgic.♥️
Love this reflection. It’s a great reminder ♥️
Such goodly words, Rosa! Lewis’s words and that elusive flower inspired the name of my own substack. As he told his friend Arthur, “Our best having are wantings.”
😭😭bello mi hija!!!! Y te leía y me reía al mismo tiempo😂😂 esa idea romántica que nunca se dio😊 te amo y extranjeros y peregrinos somos, esperando y apresurando para estar en esa ciudad celestial donde estaremos plenos porque estaremos con El! Te amo! ❤️
So beautiful Rosa and Lewis is my all time favorite writer so anytime I can read his words in an essay about beauty and goodness like you write here it’s pure joy. I love how you bring so much hope in your writing about the sacredness of flowers and also the fragility of life. Your poem here at the end is a gift and I can’t wait for the whole chapbook of words by you my friend !