St Peters RC Church Hamilton

Zestful zinnias,

Bountiful, beautiful,

Ample abundance.

Clashing colours,

Dazzling, daring

To delight.

Perfect posies,

Pots, vases,

Mauve, pinks,

Many purples.

Glorious sight

Set alight.

Rowan berries,

Richly red

Contrast with

Inky black

Forest fruits

As decoration.

Or more

Pretty pastels

Add colour

Gently, whilst

Scarlet, ruby,

Sunny yellow,

Are certainly

Lovely layers,

Contrasting colours.

Together with

Orange bursts

Proclaiming ‘Glory’.

This the

Zinnia story,

Vibrancy, vitality,

In variety.

Gorgeous gardens,

Really lovely.

Zinnias as

Cut flowers

Are marvellous,

Plus much

Glossy foliage.

Liking days

Sunny warm,

Their effect

Is stunning.

Keenly working

I suspect,

Towards timely,

A splendid

Last fling

To bring

Summer’s closure.

Zinnias a-plenty,

Riotous, various,

Citrus hued,

Lemon, lime

And fruity,

Apricot, peachy.

Hugely floriferous,

Some shades

Subtly smoky.

Attracting a flurry

Of butterflies

And bees,

Such a

Sound ecology!

Zinnia colour,

Joy of summer,

To later

With zing

Sufficient to make

Us sing!

A competitor

To the dahlia,

There is

Nothing better

To bring

A blaze,

Craze of colour,

Thoroughly jubilant.

Strong growers,

Great performers,

In fiery cacophony

Bright and lovely,

To add

Delight to

September’s glory.

The zinnia story,

Many stems

Bunched together

Closely, informally,

Also in summary,

As a famous

Picture imagining

Poet said,

Whilst waiting

Issuing us

An invitation

To rejoice.

“And all the daughters of the year shall dance. Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.”

(William Blake “To Autumn”) To which the Zinnia Story of long, happy hours of glory, must be joyously expressed and loudly acclaimed! Thank You, Creator Father, for the joy of the Zinnia Story. Sleeping throughout the wintery days, awakening to truly amaze us, flowering throughout the long summer months into autumn. What a bountiful blessing. Amen.