Floral Parades

    by Snipe

Our Island-
a perfect lily
upon the ocean
All of Dinotopia
shares an innate
love and appreciation
for all things floral

Today
its a bit more obvious-
The greenhouses and gardens
have worked nonstop
for days
to harvest
and transport their precious crops

Every town and city
Ablaze
in a riot of color
that would leave any artist breathless

There are numerous
activities to participate in-
and yet
unlike most of our holidays
their is no sense of hurried excitement,
no rushed fervor

A tranquil feeling
overtakes The Island
as thick
and intoxicating
as the mingled fragrances
the flowers themselves offer

Fat
fuzzy
Bumblebees
hover in drunken loops

There are costume contests
as Islanders dress in perfect reproductions
of their favorite flower
Saurian masters
of the art of Flower Pantomime
entertain the crowds
with their interpretative moves

There are tea socials
with string quartets
and slow
dreamy walks through
the botanical gardens

To those so motivated
it is possible to witness
the actual Floral Parade-

It started several days ago
and will continue for several more-
a wide tapestry of blossoms
of countless species and varieties
many of which appear nowhere else on the globe,
starts at one end
and marches to the other-
Laying a multi-colored ribbon
across our Island home

Some spend the day
sitting beneath the shade
of an ancient cycad
enjoying a leisurely picnic
with friends
watching the slow advance
of the Floral Parade

That's where
I sit now
wrapped in the heady musk
of a million blossoms-
writing a poem.

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