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Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:36 pm
by Welles
This is one of my favorite pieces of writing is some time. (Warning: it is somewhat lengthy.) It is all about irises. Of course the flower is lovingly described in all its glory but references to history, art, mythology, eyes and more extend the meaning beyond anything I would have expected. Here's just a 'non-iris' sample that riveted my attention.
Some words are ill-chosen, like pulchritude, which means beauty but sounds more like a type of stomachache, or an unpleasant taste in one’s mouth. Other words are perfectly chosen, fitting their meaning like a snail fits her shell, like extravaganza, discombobulation, and iridescence.
Iridescence is born when light encounters certain physical structures whose features cause its waves to stumble into one another. The way encountering certain kinds of beauty can cause us to fumble for words, forget how to properly use our feet, and fling ourselves headlong into sidewalk shrubbery. Science calls this phenomenon interference and it is of two types; destructive and constructive. Destructive interference occurs when the crests and troughs of the stumbling waves cancel each other out, dimming their reflected light. This is akin to the type of interference humans encounter in the form of meddling relatives and heavy-handed upper management. In constructive interference, the crests and the troughs of the stumbling waves line up together perfectly. Light waves superimposed in this way reinforce and vivify one another, heightening the vibrancy of their reflected color. That which was moderately red, for instance escalates into the very reddest of reds, the epitome of redness. The way soulmates meeting suffuse into the very them-est versions of themselves. Because these two types of interference happen simultaneously, like a dance floor filled with a random combination of incredibly uncoordinated dancers and phenomenally synchronized ones, as the viewer’s viewing angle shifts, the colors of the iridescent object seem to skitter and slide unpredictably towards muting or muchness depending on the varying degrees of destructive and constructive interference at play.
Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
https://thepoetryof.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/irises/
Welles
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:15 am
by Sandy
The Iris was one of my favourite flowers...It is the State of Tennessee's state flower and with just cause...
I've begun reading this intricate piece of writing and quick smart upon the reading found this...
Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant? …We are all shape-shifters and magical reinventors. Life is really a plural noun, a caravan of selves. –Diane Ackerman
Love that! Thanks Welles for sharing and inspiring us yet again.
Sandy
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 12:21 am
by Seeker13
Welles,
Reading this excerpt was like participating in a dance! Thank you for posting it!
Sandy,
That was so beautiful, brought tears to my eyes.
This thread is so apt for me right now as the irises in our area are in their zenith! A feast for the senses. Where I am is always a little behind in the growing season, just waiting for my iris to pop, so many shades of beautiful! Lilacs and snowball bush in full bloom, fairy flowers and poppies showing off in all their glory! Forget-me-nots, bleeding hearts, peonies... it's almost too much for me to handle. My heart needs very little else this time of year.
Love to all,
Kim
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:41 pm
by Sandy
Ah Kim....it sounds like you are being served mother nature's feast for the senses!
Must be a fairy's paradise for sure. On a happy note, it has been nice and dreary here. LOL I know...I'm so strange.
Give me a rainy day and I am happy.
I guess it takes all kinds, eh?
Here's to the Iris's in our life!
Hugs,
Sandy
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:41 pm
by Sandy
Ah Kim....it sounds like you are being served mother nature's feast for the senses!
Must be a fairy's paradise for sure. On a happy note, it has been nice and dreary here. LOL I know...I'm so strange.
Give me a rainy day and I am happy.
I guess it takes all kinds, eh?
Here's to the Iris's in our life!
Hugs,
Sandy
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:10 pm
by Seeker13
Sandy,
After the summer you guys have had, a dreary rainy day would be a welcome respite!
Sandy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:41 pmGive me a rainy day and I am happy. I guess it takes all kinds, eh?
People miss out on a whole different perspective of the world when shutting themselves away from a rainy day. LOl! I was planting flowers in it yesterday! Just had a brain blip of Christopher Robin in his rain gear and umbrella. Realize I've shared before, but I have precious memories of searching for Petoskey stones either in the rain or right after. It was kind of an unspoken tradition with my mom. We'd walk round and round the driveway, none of us talking, concentrating intently on the pebbles under our feet. No stone was too small or imperfect, each find followed by an arm thrust into the air and a triumphant, "I found one!"
After my last post a plethora of iris bloomed yesterday! My sister and I are a little ridiculous sending flower pictures to each other. Out of the blue my niece sent a pic of her brother with his face buried in a bunch of them. They were huge, must have been four foot tall!
It's a dreary, chilly 53 degrees today, but I'm headed back out spreading compost and mulch, … and in my glory. Nothing beats listening to classical music while playing in the garden.
Kim
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:21 am
by Sandy
Morning Kim and Welles,
Welles, I hope you don't mind if we've hijacked your Iris thread for a wee bit of garden talk. I am still remembering your photos of your former home and the flowers around the seat by the road. I was blown away by the peace I felt looking at your home... I think Kim's "fairy folk" would approve and probably did. I was thinking of making your lemon pound cake too for G's birthday. But then at the store he saw a chocolate cake already made so whose to argue.
Kim, the drearier the better for gardening down here. I suppose it is pointless to plant in the blazing sun of summer...but I have summer flowers that have sprung back... for instance, marigolds in a pot just yesterday. I still have basil that hates to be cold so as you can see we are experiencing a "mildish" winter so far. I am concerned about overnight frost though. It is bound to happen at some point.
Yep I can see you as a Christopher Robin look-a-like.
For everyone who is curious about Petoskey stones... here's a URL with photos.
https://rocktumbler.com/blog/polished-petoskey-stones/
xxSandy
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:11 pm
by Welles
Sandy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:21 am
Welles, I hope you don't mind if we've hijacked your Iris thread for a wee bit of garden talk.
That's one of the great functions of 'threads'. Pull on them and they unravel in all sorts of directions!
Re: Irises — by Pavithra K. Mehta
Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:33 am
by Sandy
That's one of the great functions of 'threads'. Pull on them and they unravel in all sorts of directions!
That is so good and so true coming from one who has observed and also been the culprit of just such a phenomena!
Thanks Welles.
Sandy