You can buy artificial flowers, you can and they’ll look beautiful forever and not remind you that decay takes possession of the living.
But can you arrange them in order, lovingly separate stalks, snip away thorns, give them fresh water daily, call them names like “lovely”, “sweetest” and “most desirable” and know, yes I say, know, that they receive the words and flourish even as they die?
Say what you want about the expense of a real bouquet, and I’ll tell you that you’ve never leaned in and heard flowers sing when they’re joined like family and presented with honor.

It’s another photo prompt 100 word post brought to you by Rochelle Wisoff’s Friday Fictioneer. Photo prompt this week by Jan Wayne Fields. Stop by Rochelle’s blog and join the fun.
I like your spin on the flowers singing. Lovely thought!
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Dear Clare,
Nothing brings a smile like the fragrance of fresh flowers in a vase. Now I’ll be leaning in and listening to their voices. 😉 Lovely story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle. It is a blessing to have imagination, isn’t it?
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Wow. Nicely done but ouch, the dying embers of those lovingly treated flowers hits home with a punch
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Death stalks us all but life is in the land of the living.
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“not remind you that decay takes possession of the living” beautiful line. Lovely story
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Thank you for the comment!
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I enjoyed your spin on the image and find it impossible to disagree. There’s nothing like a fresh bouquet of flowers, carefully arranged in a vase.
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Thanks!
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I prefer this tale to the one of woe and death. Cutting flowers gives them a chance to start again while giving someone joy 🙂
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Lovely. Wild flowers are my favorite. I prefer to leave them be. But when I see the gorgeous rows of cultivated flowers, I can hear them crying to be taken home. 🙂
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I love this beautiful word-picture. I love flowers, always have, marvel at their beauty and aroma. This is a fitting tribute.
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Many thanks! Glad you liked it.
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There has to be death in order for us to appreciate life. Nicely done.
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Thank you Iain.
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Beautiful, great metaphor with the singing bouquet and nicely different from the dying flower tale. Flowers are merely a plant’s reproductive organs, the plants still live when we pluck them off.
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Thanks for the comment and botany lesson! That is a good point about the plant living on.
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Sorry for the lecture. I’ve been in a not-so-serious fight with my SO forever about this. I love to bring some flowers into the house, he always mentions the death part. Nope, botanist here, not with me, buddy. 😉
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Don’t apologize! I’m as much a scientist as a writer…totally appreciate the perspective.
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Next time I buy flowers I’ll be sure to listen!
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Beautiful and ever so slightly creepy
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Thanks Neil. It does have a creep factor to it doesn’t it!
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Beautiful.
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