Gladioli in July

Two old friends of mine, a married couple, brought a vase of gladioli to church today and went out with me after the service to put them on Dymphna’s grave.

It’s been brutally hot the past week, and today was no exception. I had put fresh flowers — all of them chosen from among those that Dymphna planted and tended in our flowerbeds — on the grave a few days ago, and I expected that they would all have wilted away by today. But strangely enough, two varieties — bee balm and lilac-colored hostas — had retained their color and were still standing upright.

We put the gladioli next to them, paid our respects, and then walked through the scorching churchyard to our cars.

An Epitaph

by Walter De la Mare

Here lies a most beautiful lady,
Light of step and heart was she;
I think she was the most beautiful lady
That ever was in the West Country.
But beauty vanishes; beauty passes;
However rare — rare it be;
And when I crumble, who will remember
This lady of the West Country?

5 thoughts on “Gladioli in July

  1. … ah, pipped to the post. We shall remember Dymphna. How could we not …
    Her articles are a trove to have and to read. Insightful, spirited and pertinent today.
    Her presence and message continue to talk sense to us.
    Thank you Baron.

  2. Where Have All The Flowers Gone by The Kingston Trio

    Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?
    Where have all the flowers gone, long time ago?
    Where have all the flowers gone?
    Young girls have picked them, everyone.
    Oh, when will they ever learn?
    Oh, when will they ever learn?

    Where have all the young girls gone, long time passing?
    Where have all the young girls gone, long time ago?
    Where have all the young girls gone?
    Gone for husbands, everyone.
    Oh, when will they ever learn?
    Oh, when will they ever learn?

    Where have all the husbands gone, long time passing?
    Where have all the husbands gone, long time ago?
    Where have all the husbands gone?
    Gone for soldiers, everyone.
    Oh, when will they ever learn?
    Oh, when will they ever learn?

    Where have all the soldiers gone, long time passing?
    Where have all the soldiers gone, long time ago?
    Where have all the soldiers gone?
    Gone to graveyards, everyone.
    Oh, when will they ever learn?
    Oh, when will they ever learn?

    Where have all the graveyards gone, long time passing?
    Where have all the graveyards gone, long time ago?
    Where have all the graveyards gone?
    Gone to flowers, everyone.
    Oh, when will they ever learn?
    Oh, when will they ever learn?

  3. Dymphna is missed, a long time remaining. Her intelligent considered comments, and enough personal detail, to make Dymphna like a family member, especially bracing against the global onslaught of a dark presence of evil, not only as a professional writer.

    It so feels like her work here is yet unfinished, Baron……

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