Tulips

I walk into the flower shop seeking
The perfect little gift for my lover.
The shelves are all a riot of colors
Of smiling buds that await picking.

The blushing rose is indeed pretty,
But so clichéd with its velvet petals.
My eyes then look away and settle
On some big, blossoming white lilies.

Their freshness appeals in an instant
But I want them to mean a lot more.
And, soon my gaze passes over
To a group of nodding carnations.

They’re beautiful with shades aplenty
But for my one love, they surely fail.
And so I move on, a little restless
To a bunch of dew-laden red tulips.

With petals not just a sight to see,
They speak what my heart stores –
My deep and unconditional love –
A love so true for a lover so lovely.

I walk out of the shop so happily
With the red blooms in a bouquet.
I see the delight on my lover’s face
When the tulips speak so eloquently.