Welcome back to Flower Poetry Fridays with Mrs. Sigourney, where each Friday during the past year a new poem was posted from her The Voice Of Flowers.
At the end of her 1845 book of flower appreciation, she offers a “Glossary of Flowers Mentioned in This Volume”, which will be reproduced here in three parts. Last Friday we enjoyed the first part of the flower glossary.
Today’s flowers, from E to M, is the second part of the flower glossary. Stay tuned for Part 3.
Glossary: Flowers E through M
Eglantine, . . . I wound to heal.
Fleur de lis, . . . Aristocracy.
Flowering Bean, . . . Industry.
Forget-me-not, . . . True love.
Fox-Glove, . . . Insincerity.
Geranium, . . . Gentility.
Geranium, Rose, . . . Preference.
Gladiolis, . . . Martial taste.
Grape, . . . Mirth.
Hackmetack, . . . Single blessedness.
Hare-Bell, . . . Grief.
Hawthorn, . . . Hope.
Heliotrope, . . . Devotion.
Holly, . . . Domestic happiness.
Hollyhock, . . . Ambition.
Honeysuckle, . . . Fidelity.
Honeysuckle, Trumpet, . . . Inconstancy.
Hyacinth, . . . Friendship in adversity
Hydrangia, . . . Heartlessness.
Ice-Plant, . . . An old beau.
Iris, . . . My compliments.
Ivy, . . . Wedded love.
Jessamine, . . . Amiability.
Jonquil, . . . I desire a return of affection.
Lady’s-Slipper, . . . Capricious beauty.
Larkspur, . . . Haughtiness.
Laurel, . . . I change but in dying.
Lilac, Persian, . . . An accomplished traveller.
Lilac, Purple, . . . Fastidiousness.
Lilac, White, . . . Youthful innocence.
Lily, White, . . . Purity and beauty.
Lily of the Valley, . . . Delicate simplicity.
Lobelia, . . . Malevolence.
London-Pride, . . . Frivolity.
Lupine, . . . Dejection.
Maple, . . . Reserve.
Marigold, . . . Jealousy.
Mignionette, . . . Your virtues surpass your charms.
Mimosa, . . . Sensitiveness.
Misletoe, . . . Superstition.
Monk’s-Hood, . . . Deceit.
Mourning Widow, . . . Bereavement.
Myrtle, . . . Love in absence.
Flowers and their meanings.
According to her glossary some flowers seem fitting for a certain station in life, like White Lilac. . . Youthful innocence, Ivy. . . Wedded love, and Mourning Widow. . . Bereavement.
Others tell of the emotions we experience through many of life’s tribulations, like Monk’s-Hood. . . Deceit or Marigold. . . Jealousy.
One facet of Mrs. Sigourney’s work that I love is her characterization of the flowers that she wrote about. In her poems you can read about characters of minions – the dandelions, peasants – the violets, nobility – the rose, and royalty – the queen dahlia.
It takes real imagination and colorful words to come up with characters like these we find in her flower poetry.
Stay tuned next week for the Flower Glossary, Part 3.