Chrysanthemum Imagery

Today my time went to the act of creation.

When that happens, everything else flies out the window.

Here's one of the new pieces in a series based
upon chrysanthemum imagery.

© 2009 Meri Arnett-Kremian. All rights reserved.

My friend June tells me that in Asia, the chrysanthemum

is highly revered.  It symbolizes tranquility,

purity, abundance, joy, longevity, and life.

She says that John Steinbeck wrote a sad,

but sexually charged story about a woman

in The Chrysanthemum and that Cathy Song,

one of her favorite poets, penned a sensual poem

about the chrysanthemum in her work Ikebana.

She reminded me that Georgia O'Keeffe

painted chrysanthemums that were said

to have sexual overtones. She sees them

in one of the pieces I worked on today,

but she also sees bodhisattva figures

(enlightened female deities)

or shrouded figures in the same piece.

I sent her two files.

She thought the other one looked like a spider.

I hope it wasn't a black widow devouring her mate.

Things are hard enough in the dating arena.